Amazon appears poised to make a significant push into the realm of physical retail, potentially emulating the model of Walmart supercenters. On Tuesday, the Orland Park Plan Commission, situated in the Chicago suburb of Orland Park, Illinois, voted 6-1 in favor of Amazon’s ambitious plan to develop a 35-acre site into a sprawling 229,000-square-foot retail hub, according to a report by The Information.

This new venture would feature a comprehensive supercenter offering groceries, a variety of general merchandise, and prepared foods. Notably, the facility is designed to serve a dual purpose, functioning as an Amazon fulfillment center as well. This setup would allow customers the convenience of picking up their Amazon orders directly from the store, effectively merging a traditional department store experience with the efficiency of an Amazon warehouse.

While this proposal signals a bold step, it is not Amazon’s first foray into the world of physical retail. In recent years, the company has been scaling back its brick-and-mortar presence, closing a total of 68 book stores, 4-star stores, and pop-up shops in 2022. Additionally, Amazon ceased operations at both of its Amazon Style clothing outlets in 2023. Despite these closures, Amazon continues to invest in physical retail, particularly through its acquisition of Whole Foods Market in 2017. This latest move suggests that Amazon remains committed to exploring its own innovative approaches to physical store formats.