Amazon is exploring a supercenter-style store combining fresh groceries, household essentials and general merchandise. Its first reported project is planned for Orland Park, Illinois, but Amazon has not confirmed an opening date; news reports describe 2028 as a target, not a firm commitment.
What is Amazon’s new big-box store?
Amazon says it is exploring a large-format store with fresh groceries, household essentials and general merchandise. The company described it as “a new concept that we think customers will be excited about” in its May 12, 2026 update. That statement establishes the concept and intended assortment, not a finalized store design or a nationwide launch.
Coverage of planning materials for Orland Park describes a proposed 229,000-square-foot site. GeekWire and Axios report substantial back-of-house space to support store operations and pickup, alongside a mix of conventional shopping and technology-enabled product discovery. Customers may use phones to locate some general merchandise and have it brought to carts, potentially through kiosks. Those are reported elements of the proposal, not confirmed features of a finished store. GeekWire and Axios describe the project.
Where is the proposed store, and when could it open?
The reported location is Orland Park, a suburb southwest of Chicago. Axios reports a 2028 target opening for the proposed store. Amazon’s official description does not confirm that date, and a target in project coverage can change as planning and construction proceed. The final design, construction start and opening timetable have not been established by the cited sources.
#1 Best Overall
- [Deluxe Set for Imaginative Play] Jovow Play Shopping Cart includes 60 pieces of realistic fruit and vegetables, and 16 fast food toys, along with a shopping cart and shopping bag. The cart requires simple assembly for extra fun.
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How might shopping and pickup work?
The proposal appears to combine customer-facing shopping with fulfillment space behind the scenes. Reporting describes a large warehouse area supporting in-store and pickup orders, as well as local delivery. General merchandise access may differ from a conventional big-box store: shoppers could browse some goods through an app or kiosk rather than find every item displayed on shelves. These details remain proposal reporting rather than a complete operating plan.
Amazon’s existing checkout systems help explain the broader technology context, but they should not be mistaken for confirmed features of the Orland Park store. The company positions Just Walk Out for smaller, quick trips and Dash Cart for larger grocery trips. Amazon executive Dilip Kumar wrote, “Shoppers still don’t like waiting in lines,” in a company explanation of its checkout technologies. Amazon also says Just Walk Out is used in more than 360 third-party locations across five countries and in more than 40 North American fulfillment-center breakrooms; those deployment counts are company-reported and do not establish customer demand or profitability. Amazon’s technology overview explains the systems.
Rank #2
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Why is Amazon pursuing a new physical-store format?
The proposal follows Amazon’s announcement that it would close its standalone Amazon Fresh and Amazon Go locations. The company said it would continue offering Fresh online where available while shifting physical grocery investment toward Whole Foods and other experiments. That makes the supercenter proposal a test of a different mass-market format—not evidence that Amazon has committed to a broad rollout. Amazon’s update on its store formats outlines that shift.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How does the concept compare with Walmart?
The proposed store’s assortment and scale point toward an attempt to serve overlapping shopping needs with groceries and general merchandise in one place. Walmart is a formidable incumbent: it reported FY2026 revenue of $713 billion and approximately 2.1 million associates worldwide. Those are Walmart-reported company figures, not a direct measure of its U.S. big-box market share. Walmart CEO John Furner credited results to “strong execution in our core business, digital innovation, re-imagining how we accelerate delivery speed, and business mix” in the company’s FY2026 results announcement.
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Rank #3
- 30-Piece Play Set: This and play food set includes 1, 15 food boxes, 1 mineral water bottle, 1 milk bottle, 1 pear juice can, 1 chicken noodle soup can, 1 loaf of bread, 1 chicken, 6 eggs, 1 plastic egg carton, and 1 banana.
- Easy Rolling Cart: The Play Circle Shopping Day Grocery Cart features an adjustable handle and durable wheels that are easy to push on carpets or floors, so kids can roll pretend groceries through grocery store games, kitchen play, and room-to-room
- Child-Sized Cart: The assembled cart measures 14.75 x 10.5 x 19.75 inches, giving little hands a toy to load, steer, and push during pretend play with boxed groceries, bottles, cans, bread, eggs, and fruit.
- Everyday Role-Play: Lifelike grocery pieces help children act out familiar shopping routines by loading the basket, organizing items, and unloading food for kitchen play, while hands-on play supports fine motor practice and social pretend play.
- Age Recommendation: Recommended for kids 2 years and up who enjoy pretend play, games, grocery store role-play, and play kitchen food activities with a toy and pretend food set.
The available information does not provide comparable prices, operating costs, customer traffic, or other data needed to judge whether Amazon’s proposed format could match Walmart’s utility or economics. Calling it a Walmart rivalry is a reasonable interpretation of the format and assortment, but the project’s performance—and whether it expands beyond Orland Park—remains unknown.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- SHOPPING FUN: Give your little on their very own shopping experience! This shopping cart play set is the perfect gift for a little one that loves to help with the weekly shop
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- CREATIVITY AND IMAGINATION: Let your child’s imagination and curiosity run wild with this play set! They are able to create their own narratives and entertain themselves alone or with friends and family for that extra added fun. Made specifically for children – each food accessory has blunt edges to reduce harmful play.
- BENEFITS: Not only is your child able to create their own fun with this play set, but they are also able to build on their hand-eye coordination and knowledge about culinary environments.
- RECOMMENDATIONS & WARNINGS: Not suitable for children aged 3 years and under. To be used under direct supervision of an adult. Choking hazard due to small parts. For domestic use only.
Rank #4
- Shopping cart with 16" baby doll.
- Metal frame.
- Plastic basket.
- Turning front wheels.
- Easy to assemble.
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