Amazon is doubling down on its quest to conquer physical retail, this time taking a direct shot at Walmart’s dominant supercenter model. According to local planning documents recently approved in Orland Park, Illinois, the e-commerce titan is developing a massive 225,000-square-foot retail destination that will integrate fresh groceries with a vast array of general merchandise.
The project, located approximately 25 miles southwest of Chicago, represents a significant shift in Amazon’s brick-and-mortar strategy. While the company has previously experimented with various formats—including Whole Foods Market, Amazon Fresh, and the now-defunct Amazon Style and Amazon 4-star stores—this new “first-of-its-kind” concept is its largest and most ambitious to date. At 225,000 square feet, the planned facility actually exceeds the size of the average Walmart Supercenter, which typically clocks in at around 178,000 square feet.
An Amazon spokesperson characterized the development as a “new concept that we think customers will be excited about,” emphasizing a commitment to broad selection and low prices. The store is designed to offer a seamless blend of household essentials, fresh produce, and general merchandise, effectively bringing the “everything store” experience into a physical, big-box environment.
The choice of location is also telling. The site sits on a 35-acre parcel directly adjacent to a Costco, placing Amazon in the heart of a high-traffic suburban retail hub. Plans for the development include dedicated parking zones for online order pickups and several smaller commercial outlots, suggesting that Amazon intends for the site to serve as both a shopping destination and a logistics node.
This move comes as Amazon seeks to narrow the gap in the grocery sector, where Walmart remains the undisputed leader. Despite Amazon’s digital dominance, Walmart’s sprawling network of physical stores has allowed it to maintain a commanding lead in food and beverage sales, which reached $276 billion in its 2025 fiscal year. By comparison, Amazon reported roughly $100 billion in gross grocery sales in 2024, a figure that includes both Whole Foods and its online grocery operations.
Industry analysts view this big-box pivot as an admission that to truly compete for the weekly “pantry stock-up” trip, Amazon needs more than just small convenience hubs or high-end organic markets. It needs a format that mirrors the one-stop-shop convenience that has fueled Walmart’s success for decades.
However, the path forward is not without hurdles. Amazon has historically struggled to find its footing in physical retail, often scaling back or shuttering concepts that failed to gain traction. The Amazon Fresh chain, for instance, has experienced inconsistent growth and multiple strategy shifts since its 2020 debut.
The Orland Park project was recently approved by the village’s Planning Commission but still requires a final nod from the village board later this month. If successful, this Illinois superstore could serve as the blueprint for a nationwide rollout, marking the beginning of a new chapter in the escalating rivalry between the world’s two largest retailers.
Sources
- Retail Dive: Amazon takes on Walmart with new store concept
- Patch (Orland Park): Amazon Proposes Massive 225K-Square-Foot Store In Orland Park
- Orland Park Plan Commission: Meeting Materials and Renderings – January 12, 2026
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