'First Of Its Kind' Amazon Development Sets Itself Apart From Soon-To-Close Amazon Fresh: Orland Mayor

ORLAND PARK, IL — Amid news Tuesday that Amazon will shutter its brick-and-mortar Amazon Fresh and Amazon Go brick-and-mortar stores, Orland Park Mayor Jim Dodge on Tuesday affirmed that the Village had taken a "careful, deliberate" approach before approving the company's proposal for a massive retail development in town.

Amazon on Tuesday it is closing its Fresh and cashierless Go stores in Illinois and nationwide—including one in nearby Tinley Park—although Amazon Fresh will continue to exist as an online brand.

In Orland Park last week, trustees gave Amazon the go-ahead for a 229,000-square-foot building housing mostly retail, set on 35 vacant acres at the corner of 159th and LaGrange Road. The company will build where a local restaurant once thrived, now closed since 2024.

Touted by Amazon representatives as "the first of its kind," the development will function as a large-format retail location offering a wide range of products, including groceries and general merchandise, with accessory services and potential prepared-food options, Amazon representatives said previously.

Dodge said the concept is different than that of Amazon Fresh and Amazon Go.

| READ ALSO: Amazon Gets Green Light For Massive Retail Development In Orland Park |

“Recent national headlines about Amazon’s retail portfolio underscore their commitment to the project in Orland Park and exactly why Orland Park took a careful, deliberate approach in reviewing this project," Dodge told Patch in a statement Tuesday afternoon. "The retail concept approved by the Village Board is not an Amazon Go or Amazon Fresh store that the company is now phasing out. It is a new, first-of-its-kind retail model that reflects where Amazon is heavily investing next and how consumers are choosing to shop."

The announcement of the closings raised eyebrows locally, with many questioning the viability of another Amazon project in the area. The proposal met resistance early on, with residents airing concerns about the size and scale of the development, potential impacts on smaller businesses, an anticipated swell in traffic, and the need for the Village to carefully consider the long-term implications.

At an Orland Park Plan Commission meeting earlir this month, attorney Katie Jahnke Dale of DLA Piper represented Amazon and spoke on the plan.

"We like to explain it as: 'It's the best that Amazon has to offer under Whole Foods, Fresh and their online offerings,'" Jahnke Dale said. "So what does that look like? It's a grocery store. But it's purpose-built for what we're seeing: retail customers demand today to provide a very safer experience for customers. As well as a more pleasant customer experience."

Jahnke Dale described shopping experiences that enable customers to shop in-person, enhanced by using their phone or an in-store kiosk to purchase items not easily located.

Orland Park resident Carol McGury last week pushed back against officials, specifically for what she called a lack of planning, clarity and transparency throughout the project's consideration.

"I can't believe you guys don't have anything that shows the inside," McGury said, Jan. 19. "Like, this is supposed to be a cool, great, new concept. Even the business community didn't know about this cool, new concept that has no name. So I'm like, am I crazy? It still sounds like a warehouse to me....

"... I know it's not a distribution center, I get that. But it's not all retail, and it's going to have a lot of vans, it's going to have a lot of cars, it's going to have a lot of traffic, and that's the challenge. ..."

McGury went on to say that the revenue Amazon will bring is welcome, but again questioned the functions of the business, urging officials to "slow this down.

"Show me the numbers," McGury challenged Orland Park officials. "Show me the details of the internals, because no one has seen that, and if you guys haven't seen it, and the plan commission hasn't seen it, I'm sorry, shame on you."

Amazon in its statement Tuesday said it remains one of the top three grocers in the United States, serving more than 150 million grocery customers annually, and the company is actively expanding their offerings and formats that are resonating with customers.

The concept approved in Orland Park aligns with that strategy and with Amazon’s broader investment in grocery, everyday essentials and convenience, Dodge said.

"This project went through a thorough public review process, including detailed analysis of the use, scale, traffic impacts and long-term viability, Dodge's statement reads. "The Village is not providing financial incentives, and the development is expected to generate significant sales and property tax revenue that will fund long-needed infrastructure improvements in this corridor.

"Retail continues to be highly dynamic and evolve, and successful communities adapt alongside it," Dodge continued. "Orland Park’s role is to ensure that new development is commercial in nature, financially responsible, and beneficial to residents. Based on the information before us and the direction Amazon is taking its retail business, we are confident this project positions Orland Park for long-term economic strength while putting a long-vacant site back into productive use.”

Officials called Amazon's proposal a "testament to the vitality and strength" of the retail environment in Orland Park.

"“When a global retailer of this scale is considering investment in Orland Park, it sends a strong signal about the vitality of our community and the strategic importance of this corridor,” said Orland Park Mayor Jim Dodge. “It demonstrates that Orland Park continues to be viewed as a premier destination for major commercial investment.

“... This is about smart commercial growth that pays for itself, improves traffic movement, and positions this corridor for long-term success. Our focus remains on what is best for Orland Park and the community we serve."

Amazon said it will "continue inventing on behalf of customers to develop a mass physical store format that brings customers distinctive selection, value, and convenience.

"Over the coming years, we plan to introduce new store concepts that we think customers will be excited about. For example, we are exploring a new supercenter physical retail concept designed for customers to conveniently shop Amazon’s broad selection and low prices across fresh groceries, household essentials, and general merchandise. Through it all, our goal remains: to make grocery shopping easier, faster, and more affordable for customers."

In Tinley Park Tuesday, a sign posted on the Amazon Fresh location there showed the store as closed for the day, encouraging customers to come back Wednesday.

Tinley Park Village Manager Pat Carr said the Village contacted the local store's spokesperson for more information, but had not received a response as of Tuesday afternoon.