WASHINGTON — Online reviews site Yelp will open its newest East Coast office in the District, and says it will create 500 new jobs over five years.
Yelp pledged to hire D.C. residents for at least half of those new positions.
Mayor Muriel Bowser, whose administration remains committed to bringing more tech jobs to the city, made the announcement Friday morning.
San Francisco-based Yelp has other locations in New York City, Chicago, London, Hamburg and Scottsdale, Ariz.
Yelp said it chose Washington, D.C. for its newest office because of the city’s thriving technology community, talented workforce and its proximity to other East Coast cities.
“Washington, D.C. is a natural place for Yelp’s next office, offering a vibrant local community and access to top-tier talent,” said Stoppelman, Yelp CEO and co-founder.
“The city’s burgeoning technology sector is a welcoming setting for Yelp as we focus on building the best technical products to connect people with great local businesses.”
Yelp has leased 52,000 square feet in Terrell Place, at 575 7th St., NW, next to the Verizon Center in Penn Quarter for its operations.
Yelp, founded in 2004, said its review sites have more than 100 million unique visitors. As of the end of the second quarter, Yelp users have written 135 million local reviews on everything from restaurants, to mechanics and dentists.
Yelp has more than 32,000 employees worldwide.
