Amazon Is Planning a Big Box Store in Chicago Suburbs
In a move that signals its growing interest in physical retail, Amazon is reportedly set to open a massive 225,000-square-foot store in Orland Park, Illinois. The sprawling retail space will serve as both an in-store shopping destination and a fulfillment center for online orders, blurring the lines with competitors like Target and Walmart.
The new location promises to offer a vast array of products, including groceries and general merchandise, alongside accessory services and potentially on-site dining options. Amazon's plans for this store appear to diverge from its previous retail experiments, such as Amazon Books, which focused on book sales based on trending website trends, and Amazon Go stores, which offered pre-made food and select groceries via its cashier-less technology.
In recent years, Amazon has largely abandoned these ventures in favor of refining its grocery business under the Whole Foods and Amazon Fresh brands. However, this new store could represent a departure from that strategy or an evolution of its existing grocery offerings. Whatever the case, it will require approval from the Orland Park Village Board to move forward.
The store's potential impact on local businesses and residents is still unclear, but Amazon's plans for this location mark another step in its efforts to expand beyond online sales and establish a more substantial physical retail presence.
In a move that signals its growing interest in physical retail, Amazon is reportedly set to open a massive 225,000-square-foot store in Orland Park, Illinois. The sprawling retail space will serve as both an in-store shopping destination and a fulfillment center for online orders, blurring the lines with competitors like Target and Walmart.
The new location promises to offer a vast array of products, including groceries and general merchandise, alongside accessory services and potentially on-site dining options. Amazon's plans for this store appear to diverge from its previous retail experiments, such as Amazon Books, which focused on book sales based on trending website trends, and Amazon Go stores, which offered pre-made food and select groceries via its cashier-less technology.
In recent years, Amazon has largely abandoned these ventures in favor of refining its grocery business under the Whole Foods and Amazon Fresh brands. However, this new store could represent a departure from that strategy or an evolution of its existing grocery offerings. Whatever the case, it will require approval from the Orland Park Village Board to move forward.
The store's potential impact on local businesses and residents is still unclear, but Amazon's plans for this location mark another step in its efforts to expand beyond online sales and establish a more substantial physical retail presence.