Unknown Big Box Retailer Applies For Alcohol Sales Waiver In Hamlin; Who Could It Be?

An unknown big box retailer has applied for a prepackaged alcohol sales waiver with Orange County for a location next to Wal-Mart at Hamlin. Orange County requires a minimum distance of 5,000 feet between retailers selling prepackaged alcohol. The requested distance for the waiver is 750 feet.

Permits filed with Orange County do not include the name of the retailer, but continually only mention “big box retailer”. Members of the Horizon West Development Discussion Group believe Sam’s Club could be the mysterious retailer and have brought Sam’s Club in past discussions. While there is nothing named, there are other clues that support Sam’s Club being the retailer.

Included in the permit application is a site plan for the commercial space, which includes the outline of the building for the unknown big box retailer. The outline is well defined and offers some unique characteristics, such as the protruding loading dock, small roofs at the entrance of the building, and additional retail stores in the same plaza.

Analyzing other warehouse stores, designs for Costco and BJ’s Warehouse do not match this pattern, however, we identified several Sam’s Club stores in the Orlando area that are very similar.

Sam’s Club Kissimmee features the same loading dock protrusion and similar design features at the entrance.

Sam’s Club on OBT also has the same loading dock, and a very similar awning type shape at the front entrance.

Sam’s Club Lake Nona offers the most resemblance to the entire plaza, as Sam’s Club features the same loading dock feature, but also sits next to several smaller retailers on the other side of a Walmart. This location proves that Sam’s Club would indeed build a location next to a Walmart.

While nothing official has been announced and permits do not indicate a name of the retailer, it is highly probably that the mysterious retailer is Sam’s Club; however, plans can and do change so it always remains possible that it may not be Sam’s Club or that they decide not to build at Hamlin.