Amazon could be taking another, even bigger swing at physical stores, this time with a Walmart-like supercenter. On Tuesday, the Orland Park Plan Commission in the Chicago suburb Orland Park, Illinois voted 6-1 to approve Amazon’s proposal to develop 35 acres of land for a 229,000-square foot retail center, as reported by The Information.
The development would include a brick-and-mortar supercenter selling groceries, general merchandise, and prepared foods. It would also double as an Amazon fulfillment center, like a department store with an Amazon warehouse in back. Customers would be able to pick up Amazon orders there, as well.
The proposed development is far from Amazon’s first attempt at launching a brick-and-mortar retail location. Over the past few years, it’s been closing its physical stores in droves. In 2022, it shuttered all 68 of its brick-and-mortar book stores, 4-star stores, and Pop Up shops. It also shut down both of its Amazon Style clothing stores in 2023. Recently, Amazon has been focusing its brick-and-mortar store efforts on Whole Foods Market, which Amazon purchased in 2017, but it looks like it still has physical store ambitions of its own.
