Wayfair sets opening date for its first large-format store

Wayfair Inc. is giving its namesake brand the flagship treatment. 

The online home furnishings giant will open its first-ever large-format store on May 23, 2024 at 10 a.m. Spanning 150,000 sq. ft., the Wayfair store is located at Edens Plaza in the Chicago-suburb of Wilmette, Ill.

Wayfair described its upcoming location as a one-stop-shop for all things home — for any style, space or budget. In addition to offering furniture, home decor, housewares and home improvement products, the store also features an onsite restaurant, The Porch.

“You’ll be able to shop, explore, and be inspired like never before with huge immersive and interactive experiences across 19 departments, from furniture and decor to outdoor and home improvement,” Wayfair said in a 2023 announcement about the store. “Plus, sip and snack while you shop with treats from our debut in-store restaurant!”

This is not the company’s first foray into brick-and-mortar.  In 2019, it opened a 3,500-sq.-ft. Wayfair store at Natick Mall in Natick, Mass., near its Boston headquarters. The store was shuttered about a year after it opened. 

In addition, the retailer has opened Wayfair pop-ups, along with stores for its Joss & Martin and AllModern brands. But the Chicago store represents Wayfair’s first foray into large-scale retail.

In March, Wayfair launched a new brand campaign, "Welcome to the Wayborhood," that includes a refreshed logo, a new take on its iconic jingle and new celebrity partners that include Lisa Vanderpump and Tituss Burgess. The campaign also includes several TV spots,  social activations and a collaboration with Pinterest on the first-ever “Pinterest Creator Tour.”

"At Wayfair, we've always focused on delivering our customers the best possible shopping experience for the home, and we know that no two homes are quite the same. 'The Wayborhood' inspires consumers to confidently bring their own unique expression of home to life - no matter their style, space or budget," said Paul Toms, chief marketing officer, Wayfair.

Based in Boston, Wayfair generated $12.0 billion in net revenue for the year ended December 31, 2023. Its brand portfolio includes: Wayfair, AllModern, Birch Lane, Joss & Main, Perigold and Wayfair Professional.