Watch out, Sam’s Club and Costco. Another big box wholesaler is looking to cut into your action.
BJ’s Wholesale Club will go before the South Fayette Planning Commission on Thursday with a proposal to build a 99,729-square-foot store at the Newbury Market development.
The behemoth of a store will run the length of nearly two football fields on the inside and cover 10 acres of land. It will feature a gas fueling and propane filling station, a tire center and a large parking area.
It is the second store that the Massachusetts-based company is considering in Allegheny County. The retailer also has presented plans for a 99,530-square-foot store in Ross Township.
BJ’s describes itself as the “leading warehouse club operator on the East Coast.” Its operations are similar to Sam’s Club and Costco, offering customers the ability to buy in bulk everything from cereals to paper towels.
Like its competitors, the club also sells electronics, tires, meat and fresh produce.
BJ’s has given no timetable for opening the South Fayette store. “It seems like they’re very eager to get the project moving,” township spokeswoman Andrea Iglar said.
The wholesale club would be a big boost for the sprawling Newbury development, which has struggled over the years to gain traction. A group of lenders known as Thistle Financial Group is seeking to take ownership of the site while continuing its development.
In recent years, Newbury has had some success in attracting draws like Topgolf, 84 Lumber, and Carvana, an online used car venture that dispenses vehicles from a vending machine-like contraption.
In 2017, Pittsburgh health care giant UPMC scrapped plans to build a $211.2 million, 90-bed hospital at the site. It would have served as one of the anchors of the development.
In Ross, BJ’s is eyeing a now vacant former school site that appears to be part of the Block Northway complex, home to stores like Nordstrom Rack and Saks Off Fifth.
Mark Belko: mbelko@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1262.
First Published: October 22, 2020, 10:00 a.m.
Updated: October 22, 2020, 10:10 a.m.