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Amazon Plans Massive Superstore Larger Than a Walmart Supercenter Near Chicago (cnbc.com) 41

Posted by EditorDavid from the taking-care-of-business dept.
Amazon "has submitted plans for a large-format store near Chicago that would be larger than a Walmart Supercenter," reports CNBC: As part of the plans, Amazon has proposed building a one-story, 229,000-square-foot building [on a 35-acre lot] in Orland Park, Illinois, that would offer a range of products, such as groceries, household essentials and general merchandise, the city said on Saturday. By comparison, Walmart's U.S. Supercenters typically average 179,000 square feet... The Orland Park Plan Commission approved Amazon's proposal on Tuesday, and it will now proceed to a vote from the full village board. That meeting is scheduled for January 19.
In a statement cited by CNBC, an Amazon spokesperson called it "a new concept that we think customers will be excited about."
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Amazon Plans Massive Superstore Larger Than a Walmart Supercenter Near Chicago More

Amazon Plans Massive Superstore Larger Than a Walmart Supercenter Near Chicago

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  • I wonder if they'll have Alexa-powered greeters at the front door?

  • Building on the brand of their brick-and-mortar store, Whole Foods, Amazon will name this superstore, "Whole Rainforest."

  • The stealing which happens in regular stores is unimaginable. Have you visited a Walmart recently? Everything is under lock and key. The technical term for losing merchandise by stealing is called shrinkage - all retail is now experiencing phenomenal amount of shrinkage - that tells you about the quality of life of an American these days - I see this all the time in the Walgreens I work - it is unimaginable. They might even shut down the store soon I think. This was definitely not the case a decade ago.

    • I am sure they know about it already.

      Half of shrinkage comes from employee theft. For Wal-Mart, it's a cost they accept for paying their employees shit wages. I'm sure they have done the math on this.

    • Shoplifters work in gangs. The only way to control theft is to limit exits between segments. Ikea is a good example. US shoplifters are more brazen. FaceID, and scales to measure their weight i/out is also an option. Someone in HK can tell others the size of the old Chinese Emporiums.
  • A superstore, in a suburban area, close to a major city center, that sells all sorts of consumer goods.

    I just rolled my eyes so hard that I convulsed a bit.

    • A superstore, in a suburban area, close to a major city center, that sells all sorts of consumer goods.
      I just rolled my eyes so hard that I convulsed a bit.

      Imagine a *bunch* of stores instead of just one, all connected by a hallway or something.
      They could call it an "All" or "Hall" - IDK, the name can get worked out later... :-)

      (I'm guessing that's where you were going, but I couldn't resist pursuing the irony.)

      • Imagine a *bunch* of stores instead of just one, all connected by a hallway or something.

        Yes, that exists in the city of Chicago. It is called The Pedway. Like New York City's subway but for walking in. Albeit it is lots of paths connected together.

        • Imagine a *bunch* of stores instead of just one, all connected by a hallway or something.

          Yes, that exists in the city of Chicago. It is called The Pedway. Like New York City's subway but for walking in. Albeit it is lots of paths connected together.

          Didn't know that, thanks! Of course, I was thinking "Mall" which are literally all over the place - and reportedly dying out - so something similar seems unnecessary.

          • Your welcome. Yes, The Pedway is a bit more unique in that regard and is not in (almost) every somewhat bigger town and larger like the typical Mall is. Unfortunately the indoor type of mall was the result of the decline of another thing that back in the day was becoming popular in towns, the trolley, but the automobile companies bought them up and shut them down. Though that is a San Fransisco and I would like to know if there still is any other CONUS cities that have any usable trolleys that are not sitti
    • Comment removed based on user account deletion

  • Walmart's U.S. Supercenters typically average 179,000 square feet

    Is that 'typical average' a mean, median, or mode?

  • Combine with Distribution Warehouse (Score:3)

    by crow ( 16139 ) on Saturday January 10, 2026 @05:08PM (#65915256) Homepage Journal

    I think it would be interesting to try a physical store combined with a distribution warehouse. The store would have terminals (or you could use your app) where you could look up any item and see where it is. If it's not on a shelf, but in the attached distribution warehouse, you could order it and it would show up in 15 minutes (without extra packaging).

    I'm imagining a tunnel between buildings with a long conveyer belt, and items placed in plastic bins with bar codes that would identify the customer, but there are plenty of variations.

    • "I'm imagining a tunnel between buildings with a long conveyer belt" - I'm imagining a large Chinese flea market of shit.

    • Re: (Score:1)

      by Anonymous Coward

      Service Merchandise a version of that:
      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/... [wikipedia.org]

    • I think it would be interesting to try a physical store combined with a distribution warehouse.

      So a retail "mullet"? Retail up front, warehouse in the back?

      The traffic would be insane, and such a small fulfillment center would be almost pointless.

      Or are you imagining that retail shoppers would mingle amongst the warehouse workers, picking through inventory bins as they 'window shop'? OMG, that would be a literal nightmare.

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by crow ( 16139 )

        I'm thinking combining the retail space with a real distribution center where packages are already sent out from. Or maybe have it near enough with dedicated trucks going back and forth, though that would be less efficient. I'm assuming it's effectively a separate building apart from the merchandise moving, and certainly the retail parking would be separate from the delivery truck parking.

  • Their strenth and competitivnes is to be online retailer with superb delivery strategy. Why do they want a physical store? What would be on the shelfs? Their branded items are minimal.
    Would this look like an IKEA store where you order and then pick up stuff on the way out?

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by intrico ( 100334 )

      Recently went to an "Amazon Fresh" brick and mortar for the first time. As someone who will not order meat or produce, they earned some of my business from the other corporate grocery chains with competitive pricing. Also noticed Amazon employees shopping for online orders, so they're apparently dual purpose, but otherwise setup/laid out pretty much like a regular grocery store.

      • I thought that's what Whole Foods it for? Perhaps this is just the cheap version of it, to compete with Wallmart ie customers who do not want to pay for 'Prime'? Granted that for produce and fresh meets Amazon order-online-then-ship does not work very well. Hence they just want to compete with Wallmart and hence tag other products along fresh grocery items.

  • Imagine a set of booths. You go in, put on a headset, and get to examine products in a VR environment. Maybe make it an AR dressing room too. Anything you want to buy is then waiting for you in reality when you leave. As an added bit of futurism, include the delivery by robot in the experience.
  • Amazon "has submitted plans for a large-format store near Chicago..... Wonder if they have good shoplifting safeguards planned.

  • In Downers Grove, Illinois there was a Fry's right around the corner from a large Amazon warehouse complex. When Fry's closed down I thought it would be a great place for an Amazon brick-and-mortar location. Apparently Amazon didn't agree; the old Fry's is now being turned into a veterinary school and clinic.

  • The whole attraction to Amazon.com is the *enormous* selection.

    While the selection is large, prices are all over the map. Quality is all over the map, ranging from downright frauds, to decent.

    Walmart has made a name for itself selling decent stuff for low prices. Amazon can't boast the same. If the Amazon store loses the *one* thing Amazon can boast about (its huge selection) then why on earth would I want to go to their store?

  • Amazon spokesperson called it "a new concept that we think customers will be excited about."

    Company that spent 20 years putting physical stores out of business has invented the idea of putting their products on shelves inside a building.

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