The opening of a Wayfair store in Wilmette’s Edens Plaza is getting closer as physical renovations have started at the vacant building.
Village Manager Mike Braiman announced at the Feb. 14 village board meeting the village has issued first of three expected construction permits to Wayfair, the e-commerce company, which intends to open a bricks-and-mortar store in the building previously occupied by Carson Pirie Scott.
“This first permit is primarily exterior so you will see a lot of activity at Edens Plaza in the coming months,” Braiman said.
Braiman added there would be a subsequent issuance of a demolition permit for the structures on the eastern side of the building and then one for interior work.
“We’re really excited to see this project moving forward,” Braiman said.
A Wayfair representative confirmed the renovations had begun on the two-story, approximately 152,000 square feet building, that has been vacant since 2018.
The village announced in early January 2022 that Wayfair intended to open the store in Wilmette in conjunction in with Edens Plaza being sold to Massachusetts-based WS Development.
Wayfair originally intended to open the store in mid-2023, but subsequently pushed it back to early 2024.
Daniel I. Dorfman is a freelance reporter with Pioneer Press.