JT Magen Completes Wayfair’s First Store in Wilmette
JT Magen has successfully completed Wayfair’s first brick‑and‑mortar retail store at Edens Plaza, 3232 Lake Avenue, Wilmette, Illinois. The 150,000-square-foot, two‑story project repurposed a former Carson Pirie Scott department store and introduced a dynamic shopping destination for the home goods brand.
Working as a construction manager, JT Magen led the full gut renovation and outdoor expansion. The team overhauled facades, roofing, utility systems, vertical transportation, and interior finishes. They also added a 110,000-square-foot exterior extension featuring a plaza, parking lot, landscaping, storm detention center, and an indoor/outdoor café named The Porch at Wayfair.
The store interior offers interactive experiences, including a “Dream Center” for mattresses, a Design Studio for materials and furniture selection, and display areas for showers and faucets. Moreover, JT Magen executed extensive structural work to create a glass-enclosed, three-story atrium featuring a millwork-clad statement wall and a 20-foot by 20-foot display screen that greets and navigates visitors.
On the exterior, the team installed a custom terracotta rainscreen panel system in Wayfair’s signature purple, manufactured in Germany. The design also includes ACM-clad canopies and a dramatic 70‑by‑40‑foot backlit metal feature wall at the entrance.
This project reinforces JT Magen’s reputation as a leading general contractor in retail construction and experiential brand rollouts. By delivering Wayfair’s inaugural physical store on time and on budget, the firm demonstrates its ability to manage large-scale transformations and deliver standout tenant environments.
