Walmart closing in Plainfield a rare Rt. 59 exit

Walmart will close its store in Plainfield by March 10, marking an unusual pullback from what has become the village’s prime commercial corridor.

Walmart arrived during a growth period that included Meijer, Target and Kohl’s stores opening on Route 59 as Plainfield added subdivisions on the north end of the village in the early 2000s.

The corridor has seen few stores leave, and Rod Baker Ford recently moved its dealership there and away from a Route 30 location near Interstate 55. A Barnes & Noble bookstore closed in the Target shopping center across the street from Walmart and has since been replaced by a Ross Dress for Less.

Joliet has seen Sears and Carson Pirie Scott stores close at the Louis Joliet Mall as department store business has been eroded by more discount-oriented retailers.

No local Walmart has closed with the exception of a Joliet store that was relocated from Larkin Avenue to Jefferson Street. A Target store in Romeoville along Weber Road that, like Route 59, saw a surge in commercial growth after new subdivisions were built, closed in 2018.

Walmart on Wednesday announced the closing of its Plainfield store at 12690 S. Route 59.

Route 59 is a major commercial commercial thoroughfare for Plainfield and neighboring towns. There are other Walmart stores along Route 59 to the south in Joliet and to the north in Naperville.

According to Walmart, there are six other Walmart Supercenters located within 15 miles of the Plainfield store, and the company will assist employees who want to transfer to other stores.

The Plainfield store employs 360 workers.

The store is not the only one closing in the Chicago region.

A store in Homewood and a prototype pick-up only store location in Lincolnwood also will close.

Walmart, however, would not confirm how many stores it is closing statewide and across the United States.

There are 184 Walmart and Sam’s Club stores in Illinois.

The closings of Chicago-area stores follow a review process that identified stores that did not meet company expectations, according to a statement from the company.

“We are grateful to the customers who have given us the privilege of serving them at our Plainfield location.” Walmart spokesperson Felicia McCranie said in an emailed statement.

Walmart has nearly 5,000 stores across the United States.