Naperville continues to lead suburban Chicago in retail sales thanks to the strength of its automobile dealers, dining and bar scene, and grocery markets, a recently released report shows.
The annual report from Melaniphy & Associates, a real estate and retail consultant firm in Chicago, takes a comprehensive look at suburban retail numbers to document shifts in the marketplace based on various retail sales categories.
Since 2016, Naperville has bested all other suburbs for highest cumulative retail sales in all categories. Schaumburg is the city’s closest sales competitor, but it last topped Naperville in just one category six years ago.
“Naperville is now the retail mecca, overtaking Schaumburg in total retail sales,” said John Meliphany, who produces the annual report.
Last year, Naperville saw a record $4.6 billion in total sales, up 6% over 2021 and higher than No. 2 Schaumburg by more than $638 million.
Over the last 10 years, the Meliphany report shows retail sales in Naperville have escalated by $1.4 billion, unlike Schaumburg, which saw sales plummet by $887 million during the same time period.
Nearly half the $1.4 billion increase can be attributed to Naperville’s strong showing in automobile and gasoline sales, which rose from $1.2 billion in 2013 to $1.8 billion in 2022.
Where most top suburban towns, including Schaumburg, Orland Park, Tinley Park, Oak Lawn, Westmont and Barrington, saw their sales numbers crash in 2022 largely due to automotive sales, Naperville had a $70 million increase between 2021 and 2022, Meliphany said.
Naperville has historically had the highest sales in this category since at least 2010, he said.
The city also is a leader in the restaurant and bar industry.
In this category, Naperville had sales of $504 million in 2022 , which is $168 million more than it had in 2013,” Meliphany said.
The next highest decade change was Aurora, which saw $102 million in sales growth since 2013. But the neighboring city’s dining and drinking sales in 2022 added up to $304 million, or $200 million less than Naperville.
Naperville continues to rank first in grocery sales compared to any other suburban community, with food store sales of $453 million.
“Their grocery sales are off the charts,” Meliphany said.
No. 2 Joliet with 2022 sales of $332 million trails Naperville by $85 million.
What sets Naperville apart is its variety of upscale, ethnic and organic food stores on top of the traditional Chicago area grocers, Meliphany said.
“The second Costco store places Naperville in a unique status. Not many communities can claim to support two Costco stores, other than major metropolitan cities like Chicago and Los Angeles,” he said.
Naperville continues its reign as king of suburban home improvement, with sales rising $94 million over the last decade from $152 million in 2013 to $246 million in 2022.
The biggest leap was from 2020 to 2021, when home improvement sales jumped during the COVID-19 pandemic by $49 million, from $192 million to $241 million.
Despite what could have been a temporary increase, home improvement spending remained steady thereafter, rising 2.2% from 2021 to 2022.
Naperville’s presence also can be seen in the Route 59 corridor, according to the Meliphany report.
Among core retail markets, the Fox Valley Mall area continues to lead compared to other suburban shopping center and mall areas, with retail sales of $7.5 billion in 2022, up $327 million over the previous year and up $2 billion from 10 years ago.
No. 2 Woodfield Mall in Schaumburg recorded $5.7 billion in retail sales in 2022, and No. 3 Louis Joliet Mall in Joliet had $3.8 billion.
The figures are total sales from retail concentrations, including the mall and the surrounding big boxes.
Because Aurora mall is bordered by Naperville where many big box stores are located, the core numbers include both communities, according to Meliphany.
