Amazon’s approval to build a 230,000-square-foot retail store in Orland Park, Illinois marks a meaningful moment in the evolution of physical retail. More than a local redevelopment project, the decision signals a shift in how Amazon is approaching brick-and-mortar. With formal approvals secured and no public incentives attached, the project offers a clear view into how large-scale retail, logistics, and community investment are beginning to converge in Amazon’s next chapter.
The Orland Park Village Board has approved a first-of-its-kind Amazon retail store at the corner of 159th Street and LaGrange Road, redeveloping the long-vacant former Petey’s II site. The project was approved by the Plan Commission on January 6, 2026, and received final Board approval on January 19, 2026. The approved plan includes a 230,000-square-foot, one-story retail store offering groceries, household essentials, and general merchandise. Village officials emphasized that this is a public, commercial retail store, not a warehouse or fulfillment center. The zoning and special use permit explicitly prohibit distribution or warehouse operations, and the Village is providing no financial incentives for the project.
Amazon’s multi-million-dollar investment is expected to generate significant sales and property tax revenue, which will be used to fund long-planned traffic and infrastructure improvements along the 159th Street and LaGrange Road corridor. The project is also expected to create approximately 200 construction jobs and 500 permanent positions once operational, with a stated commitment to local labor. Infrastructure upgrades tied to the development are scheduled through the end of 2026, with the Amazon retail store targeted to open in 2027, followed by additional outlot development.
What This Means for Retail
Amazon’s proposed 229,000-square-foot store in Orland Park, Illinois signals a more pragmatic phase in its physical retail strategy. According to Conversations on Retail, this is not an experiment or specialty format. At a scale larger than the average Walmart Supercenter and located in a competitive suburban corridor, Amazon is stepping directly into traditional big-box retail…