How Big are Big-Box Stores? (2024)

How Big are Big-Box Stores? (1)

by ILSR | Date:

23 Dec 2008 | posted in: Retail | 0

How Big are Big-Box Stores? (2)

Wal-Mart and Target are currently building “supercenters,” which combine their usual array of merchandise with a full supermarket and numerous specialty services from cut flowers to eye glasses. Supercenters typically range from 180,000 to 250,000 square feet, or between 4.1 to 5.7 acres. The parking lots that surround these stores are several times the size of the store itself. Many other big box retail stores—including earlier-generation Wal-Mart outlets, Home Depot, Lowe’s, Office Depot, Bed Bath & Beyond, etc.—are in the 60,000 to 140,000 square foot range. Barnes & Noble and Borders Books stores range from 25,000 to 45,000 square feet, or about the size of a very large supermarket. Free-standing chain drugstores operated by Walgreens, Rite Aid, and CVS are generally 11,000-15,000 square feet.

Asfor independent retailers, there’s quite a range. Many Main Street stores are under 1,000 square feet. A full-service neighborhood grocery store might be 10,000 square feet. Locally owned hardware stores generally range from 2,000 to 20,000 square feet. An independent bookstore might be 1,500 square feet.

A growing number of cities and towns are adopting store size caps to ensure that new retail development is scaled appropriately for the community and does not overwhelm the local economy or exacerbate sprawl and traffic congestion. Most communities choose an upper limit of between 35,000 and 75,000 square feet.

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How Big are Big-Box Stores? (2024)

FAQs

How Big are Big-Box Stores? ›

Located in large-scale buildings of more than 50,000 square feet, the store is usually plainly designed and often resembles a large box. Walmart, Home Depot, and Ikea are examples of big-box retailers.

How big is average big-box store? ›

Floor space several times greater than traditional retailers in the sector, providing for a large amount of merchandise; in North America, generally more than 50,000 square feet (4,650 m2), sometimes approaching 200,000 square feet (18,600 m2), though varying by sector and market.

What is the average size of a store? ›

Average Total Store Size – Square Feet
YearAverage Total Store Size in Square Feet
202151,507
202048,466
201942,415
201841,651
22 more rows

What is the average size of a neighborhood store? ›

Retail Store Dimensions for a Community Center. Retail store dimensions within a neighborhood center can range from 20'x 40' to 75'x120'. Convenience stores, restaurants, and service shops are typically between 40'-70' in depth, while grocery stores and discount centers can range in depth from 100' to 120'.

How tall is a big-box store? ›

Big-box retail facilities are large, industrial-style buildings or stores with footprints that generally range from 20,000 square feet to 200,000 square feet. While most big-boxes operate as a single-story structure, they typically have a three-story mass that stands more than 30 feet tall.

How many square feet is a typical Home Depot store? ›

It is the fourth largest chain store in general. The stores are very big, with high ceilings, like a warehouse. They are usually 105,000 square feet. (9,755 square meters).

How big is the average Lowe's store? ›

Lowe's standard 116,000 square-foot stores cost $17 million to build and $5 million to stock. The company says each averages about $33 million per year in sales.

How large is an average Wal-Mart store? ›

Wal-Mart supercenters: range from 99,000 to 250,000 sq. ft. and average 187,000 sq. ft.

How big is a typical Wal-Mart store? ›

Wal-Mart discount stores offer a variety of quality, value-priced general merchandise and a pleasant, convenient shopping experience. The discount stores average 107,000 square feet, employ an average of 225 associates and offer 120,000 items.

How big is the average Wal-Mart store? ›

Since Sam Walton opened his first discount store in Rogers, Ark., in 1962, we've built hundreds across the U.S. Smaller than a Supercenter, discount stores employ about 200 associates and offer electronics, apparel, toys, home furnishings, health and beauty aids, hardware and more in about 106,000 square feet of open, ...

What is considered a large retail store? ›

Large Retail Store means a commercial establishment selling goods to the public with a total floor area of 2,500 square feet or more and selling 25 linear feet or more of food.

What is the size of a convenience store? ›

Traditional Convenience Store

Many convenience stores fall into this category. They are about 2,500 square feet and offer a product mix that includes dairy, bakery, snack foods, beverages, tobacco, grocery, confectionery, prepared foods to go, fresh or frozen meats, gasoline, various services and limited produce items.

What is the average grocery outlet store size? ›

With store square footage ranging from 10,000 – 25,000, it's significantly smaller than traditional grocery stores, which average 45,000 square feet.

Are big-box stores worth it? ›

Big-box stores offer their most attractive discounts on big-ticket items, undercutting specialty stores and smaller retailers on price. So yes, you can often save hundreds of dollars on electronics, appliances, and other major purchases if you shop at a big-box retailer.

Why do big-box stores have such high ceilings? ›

The high ceilings accomplish a few things, but mainly the goal is temperature regulation. Heating, cooling, and lighting large spaces is expensive so most designs will try and take advantage of simple physics to mitigate those costs.

How big is a Home Depot? ›

The typical store today averages 105,000 square feet of indoor retail space, interconnected with an e-commerce business that offers more than one million products for the DIY customer, professional contractors, and the industry's largest installation business for the Do-It-For-Me customer.

How large is the average grocery store? ›

While the average size of a grocery store clocked in around 40,000 square feet a few years ago, many modern outlets are under 20,000 square feet—with some, such as Trader Joe's and Aldi, regularly measuring closer to 12,000.

What is the average size of a Best Buy store? ›

Best Buy's average store size in the United States has remained relatively consistent in 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022 with roughly 38.5 thousand square feet per store.

How many square feet is the average Menards store? ›

It may have a fraction of Home Depot's locations, but at around 200,000 square feet, an individual Menards store can be twice as large.

Is Amazon considered a big-box retailer? ›

Yes Amazon is big but Walmart is bigger, twice the size. In 2019 Walmart generated $514 billion in revenue while Amazon generated $281 billion. If you take a closer look you will see that Amazon actually only holds an estimated 6% of the retail market in the United States.

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