First brick-and-mortar Wayfair delays opening in Wilmette until 2024

The planned opening of a new Wayfair store in Wilmette is delayed with village officials now estimating doors will now open early next year.

In early January 2022, the village announced Wayfair, a Boston-based e-commerce retailer, would open its first bricks-and-mortar location in Wilmette’s Edens Plaza in the vacant approximate 150,000 square foot building formerly occupied by Carson Pirie Scott.

The village statement at the time said the goal was for the store to open in mid-2023, but that apparently will not happen.

“Ultimately, we are really pleased this project continues to move forward but it is a little bit behind schedule for what was originally scheduled,” Wilmette Village Manager Mike Braiman said.

Braiman said the village is now projecting an early 2024 opening for what Wayfair is describing as “our first flagship store in the Village of Wilmette.”

“There is a lot to work through in creating that first experience,” Braiman said, adding he is not disappointed in the postponed opening.

Wayfair spokeswoman Susan Frechette did not elaborate on the reasons for the delay.

Currently the site is sitting idle as village officials review building permit applications, according to the village’s Business Development Coordinator Lucas Sivertsen.

On Jan. 9, company officials appeared before the village’s Appearance Review Commission seeking an updated consent for a revised exterior design after the village board allowed initial approvals last March.

Braiman said the commission approved the proposed changes including the types of materials used for the eastern, western and southern parts of the building. Design changes for the northern portion are still being reviewed.

“We enjoyed our time meeting with the ARC,” Frechette wrote in an email. “We also really appreciate the partnership of the village and are excited to work with them as we proceed with this project, which will begin construction in the near future.”

Wayfair will also have to get separate building permits to start the interior work. Sivertsen said he is not certain when those permits will be issued.

Daniel I. Dorfman is a freelance reporter with Pioneer Press.