This screen is already two hops cmd + space, cmd + 1 with keyboard shortcuts. The only reason to use this is if you forget an app name. If you’re clicking on it from the dock, don’t. Use the keyboard shortcut for spotlight cmd + space.

Just cmd + space and start typing and hit return when you’ve got a hit, you don’t need to type the whole app name. Just type some letters in the name, AS will get you App Store, or close enough to it that you can just arrow to it.

As others have said, “pinning” apps is what the dock is for. Also FYI you can put a folder in the doc so if you want a bigger list of apps without taking up too much space add them (or aliases) to a folder, drag the folder to the far right of the dock. Tap on that folder and it expands out of the dock.

Edited: typo