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The e-commerce giant takes a decisive step. For the first time in its history, Amazon will open a giant supermarket dedicated to physical sales. The Orland Park planning commission in Illinois approved on January 6 the construction of a building of approximately 21,000 m², a first in the region. Located at 159th Street and LaGrange Road, the 35-acre site includes a main store, a pickup location for online orders and a small storage area to optimize on-site operations.
Quoted by our colleagues from The Information, the company explains: “We regularly test new experiences aimed at simplifying and improving our customers’ daily lives, particularly through our physical stores. The site in question is the planned location for a new concept which we are convinced will excite our customers“.
Amazon wants to compete with local commerce
Local authorities are already welcoming the initiative. The city’s mayor Jim Dodge sees this as a positive signal for the economic vitality of the town, with substantial fiscal benefits. The final vote by the municipal council is set for January 19, 2026, an expected formality despite the concerns of some residents about the road traffic that could be generated by such an installation.
Between the supermarket and the collection point, Amazon is putting forward a hybrid concept, where fresh food sections, various products, additional services and even catering areas with prepared meals will come together. A superstore in which it is possible to Buy everything, or almostthanks to the brand’s strategic merger with Whole Foods Market, acquired in 2017. Larger than standard supermarkets, this new brand targets weekly shopping, where online is still struggling to establish itself in the face of everything dematerialized.
Do better, and think bigger
In 2024 Amazon ended its Just Walk Out project in its Amazon Fresh stores, too dependent on human intervention. Despite a promise of everything automated, the brand’s cashier-less technology was still largely inaccurate, requiring human intervention in 70% of cases. While Just Walk Out is evolving towards AI for more precision, refocusing on events (airports, stadiums) rather than local commerce, Amazon’s new project wants to mix the best of all worlds, by unifying its online sales with a local physical part.
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