Wayfair, well-known as an online destination for furniture and other home essentials, will open its first-ever "large-format" physical store later this month in suburban Wilmette.
At 150,000 square feet, the retail space will be Wayfair's first "large-format" store. It's more than 10 times the size of Wayfair's other brick-and-mortar locations, which include a Joss & Main store at Oak Brook Center.
The giant purple and white Wayfair store, located at 3232 Lake Avenue at Edens Plaza, will open at 10 a.m. on Thursday, May 23 with "exclusive deals and family-friendly activities" throughout the weekend, a release said.
The Wilmette store will be a "one-stop shop for all things home," the release said, "including furniture, home décor, housewares and home improvement products for any style space or budget." It will also feature an on-site restuarant called "The Porch," and is in the process of hiring for approximately 200 positions.
The store will feature several other unique features, including a “Design Studio,” where customers can get free advice and inspiration from design experts.
A “Market Square” will offer customers an area to browse textiles, décor and other essentials, while the “Dream Center” will feature a wide selection of mattresses.
Wayfair currently has a warehouse in Romeoville, according to a spokesperson. The spokesperson added that customers at the Wilmette store would be able to take "certain" items home from the store after purchase. Others would be delivered.
Following the grand opening, the store's hours will be 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday, the release added.
Development and construction on the space began in 2022. Previously released renderings of the new store show a patio with umbrellas and tables, greenery and more.
The newly renovated and expanded store sits in the structure that previously held Carson Pirie Scott, the Plaza's department store anchor, which shuttered in 2018.
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Here's a look at the latest renderings as the store prepares to open:
