Amazon warehouse in Warrington, UK.
Nathan Stark | Getty Images
Amazon has submitted plans for more than one large-format store in the greater Chicago area. walmart The supercenter represents the tech company’s latest experiment in physical retail.
As part of the plan, Amazon is proposing to build a one-story, 229,000-square-foot building in Orland Park, Illinois, that would offer a wide range of products, including groceries, household goods and general merchandise, the city announced Saturday. By comparison, Walmart’s average U.S. supercenter is typically 179,000 square feet.
Amazon’s facility will also include a “limited warehouse component” to support on-site operations and space for delivery drivers to pick up orders, according to planning documents.
“We regularly test new experiences aimed at making our customers’ everyday lives better and easier, including in our physical stores,” an Amazon spokesperson said in a statement. “The location in question is the planned site for a new concept that we think customers will be excited about.”
The e-commerce company is determined to further increase its presence in brick-and-mortar retail after taking market share from incumbents. Amazon acquired upscale grocer Whole Foods Market in 2017 for $13.7 billion, the largest deal in the company’s history.
Amazon has also launched bookstores, shopping mall kiosks, apparel stores, convenience stores, and its own supermarket chain. Since then, many of those concepts have been discontinued or the rollout of new locations has been delayed.
The Orland Park Planning Commission approved Amazon’s proposal Tuesday, and it will now go to a vote by the full village board. That meeting is scheduled for January 19th.
The proposed facility would replace local restaurant Petey’s II, which closed in January 2024. The site is located at the corner of two major highways that pass through Orland Park and is down the street from Orland Park. target, costco and major national chains such as Trader Joe’s.
Some residents have opposed Amazon’s development plans and expressed concerns about the impact on traffic in the surrounding area, NBC 5 Chicago reported.
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