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Sep 13, 2023

Plans for the vacant Family Video building in Carbondale seemingly vanish

The former Family Video location in Carbondale was being converted into a Gopuff

The former Family Video location in Carbondale was being converted into a Gopuff on-demand delivery service location. Now, it appears the retailer will not be opening in the city.

Freshly painted walls, interior signage and new retail shelving for products that will likely never arrive all sit in a leased Carbondale facility, part of a convenience and delivery retailer that likely will never open.

More than a year ago, Gopuff, a Philadelphia-based consumer goods and food delivery company, began work on the former Family Video location at the corner of West Main and Oakland Avenue in Carbondale with plans to convert the 5,150 square-foot property into what the company calls a "microfulfillment center." Yet, beyond fixtures and registering with the Illinois Department of Revenue for sales tax purposes, the business has yet to serve a single local customer, and, by all appearances, will not – at least in the near future.

The company's business model is one of quick delivery of convenience items to customers within 30 minutes. Some Gopuff stores deliver alcoholic beverages as well as food, drinks and health care items. No items appear to be on the shelves of the Carbondale store.

Some have taken notice – or rather, not noticed any activity – in the building. Xander Smith, manager of the Little Caesar's location next door, said things have been quiet in the former Family Video location.

"Last I heard was a while ago," he said. "They were going to open up in January of 2022. They’ve been gone ever since."

Officials with the city have not received any updates on plans, either.

"It sure seems obvious that nothing is happening there. I’m guessing a supply chain issue may have hit them at the worst time. They’ve not called us to tell us anything," said John Lenzini, Community Development Manager with the City of Carbondale.

An individual who declined to be identified answered the telephone at Gopuff's Champaign location. When asked about plans for Carbondale, his response was simple.

"I don't know much, but I don't think it is going to happen," he said.

Gopuff did not respond on the record to telephone and email requests for comment about the property or plans for the Carbondale location. The company did recently announce plans to cut 10% of its employees worldwide and close 76 of its warehouses and micro-fulfillment centers – about 12% of its locations. The Main Street location apparently is included in the closures despite never opening. The company's website does not list Carbondale as a service location.

Despite lack of official comment, The Southern has been able to confirm Gopuff has no plans to open the Carbondale store or make deliveries in the community.

The building is listed on Jackson County tax records as owned by the Eric Hoogland Limted Partnership of Springfield. The retail space which contains the gondola-style shelving and is adorned with Gopuff promotional posters is listed as still available on the website for Legacy Commercial Property, a Glenview-based leasing and property development entity. The company did not respond to repeated telephone inquiries about the property.

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