Amazon tests a Walmart-sized leap into physical retail

Amazon is planning a nearly 225,000-square-foot retail store outside Chicago, its biggest brick-and-mortar bet yet. According to local planning documents, the proposed store would sell groceries and general merchandise, putting it squarely in Walmart Supercenter territory. A spokesperson called it “a new concept,” with low prices across fresh food, household essentials and everyday goods. The move signals another attempt by Amazon to crack physical retail after mixed results with Amazon Fresh, Go stores, and past experiments such as bookstores and apparel shops.