Amazon plans to build a super-sized offline store in the suburbs of Chicago. It will build a 229,000-square-foot store in Orland Park, larger than a Walmart Supercenter at 179,000 square feet, CNBC reported on Jan. 9 local time.
Amazon plans to sell groceries, daily necessities and general merchandise there. The site will also include some warehouse and delivery space. City authorities have approved the construction, and a final vote will be held on Jan. 19.
Amazon has sought to expand offline since acquiring Whole Foods for $13.7 billion in 2017. It tried various offline formats, including bookstores, mall kiosks, clothing stores, convenience stores and its own supermarket chain, but closed some or halted expansion. The Chicago-area store appears to be part of a new offline strategy.
The store site is set to be built on the former location of Petey's II, a restaurant that closed in 2024, and large chains such as Target, Costco and Trader Joe's are nearby. Local media reported some residents oppose Amazon's plan over traffic congestion concerns.
Chi-gyu Hwang
delight@d-today.co.kr