First Grocery Store Opens in Flowing Wells
Neighborhood Market brings groceries and convenience to revitalized neighborhood TUCSON, Ariz., July 23, 2008 – Flowing Wells residents will soon enjoy convenient grocery shopping when the new Walmart Neighborhood Market opens July 23. The store will bring a full selection of groceries to a neighborhood that, until now, did not have a local grocery store. The new store is located at 2175 Ruthrauff Road. “Our community is very excited about this new Neighborhood Market,” said Ellie Towne, president of the Flowing Wells Neighborhood Association and Community Coalition. “This store will help people in many ways by providing a convenient, local place for them to shop for affordable groceries and prescriptions, something that is especially important to the senior citizens who live here. We are glad that Walmart has chosen to be a part of Flowing Wells’ revitalization efforts, and we welcome this store to our neighborhood.” Since it was designated as a revitalization area by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the Flowing Wells neighborhood has undergone a period of economic and community development in recent years that has brought a host of new amenities to the area including a new medical center, a community center and a library. “Walmart is proud to be a part of the Flowing Wells neighborhood,” said Store Manager Martin Salmeron. “Thanks to the efforts of Ellie Towne and other local leaders, this area is becoming a thriving community, and we are looking forward to being a part of it.” First Full Grocery Store in Flowing Wells
Customers will be able to choose from a full line of groceries, including produce, deli and bakery items, meat and frozen foods. Reflecting the diversity of the Flowing Wells neighborhood, the store will also carry a large selection of Hispanic, Asian and kosher products. In addition to groceries, customers can shop for household cleaning products and health and beauty aids, and cosmetics will be displayed on distinctive curved counters. A photo kiosk and a pharmacy with two drive-through lanes will also be available. The pharmacy will offer Walmart’s expanded $4 prescription program to help local residents save money on their healthcare needs. The $4 prescriptions are now available for most commonly treated medical conditions. The store is located along two bus routes and within walking distance from the neighborhoods in the area, making it a convenient location for shoppers and new associates alike. Store Opening Brings 120 New Jobs
Approximately 120 new jobs were created by the store’s opening. The national average wage at Walmart for full-time hourly associates is $10.83 per hour.* “My own experience is a great example of the types of careers available for people who work at Walmart,” he said. “I began my Walmart career 11 years ago as a cashier at the Valencia Supercenter in Tucson, and now I am managing this new store.” Eligible full- and part-time associates at Walmart can take advantage of Walmart benefits, which include healthcare insurance with no lifetime maximum. Walmart also offers a 401(k) plan and profit sharing contributions, whether an associate contributes or not, store discount cards, company performance-based bonuses, stock purchase program and life insurance. Grand Opening Grants Support New Community Services
In celebration of the grand opening, a total of $18,000 in grants from the Walmart Foundation will be distributed to community groups. Several of the grants will be given to organizations that are part of Flowing Wells’ revitalization efforts including the new Flowing Wells Branch Library and the St. Elizabeth’s Health Center. A grant is also being given to the Flowing Wells School District to help fund a backpack program that provides elementary school children in need with food after school and on weekends. Environmentally Friendly Features Save Water and Energy
In dry areas such as Tucson where water conservation is crucial, the environmentally friendly techniques that are used to construct new Walmart stores can make a real difference. For example, water flow and consumption are monitored in the sinks and in high-efficiency toilets and urinals. The non-sales areas of the store have LED lights and sensors that automatically shut off the lights when those areas are unoccupied. LED lighting throughout the store operates 70 percent more efficiently than traditional fluorescent lighting. The new store is also committed to offering products that are affordable and sustainable. Activities Planned for Grand Opening Day
Grand opening activities will begin July 23 at 7:30 a.m. with a brief ceremony. Members of the Flowing Wells High School Choir will perform the national anthem, and Pastor Keith Huffman from the Flowing Wells Baptist Church will lead the invocation. The colors will be presented by members of Boy Scout Troop #221, and Salmeron and other Walmart representatives and local officials will cut the ribbon to the new store. About Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT)
Every week, millions of customers visit Walmart Stores, Supercenters, Neighborhood Markets, and Sam’s Club locations across America or log on to its online store at www.walmart.com. The company and its Foundation are committed to a philosophy of giving back locally. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT) is proud to support the causes that are important to customers and associates right in their own neighborhoods, and last year gave more than $296 million to local communities in the United States. To learn more, visit www.walmartstores.com, or www.walmartfoundation.org. EDITOR’S NOTES - An invitation-only open house for VIPs, Walmart associates and their families is scheduled for Monday, July 21, from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. Preview tours will be provided.
- Statements and quotes on behalf of Walmart should not be obtained from or attributed to agency employees.
* Average wage taken June 2008. See www.walmartstores.com for more details. FACT SHEET
Tucson Neighborhood Market Store fast facts - Location: 2175 E. Ruthrauff Road, Tucson
- 39,690 square-foot Neighborhood Market
- Grand opening celebration: 7:30 a.m., Wednesday, July 23; doors open at 8 a.m.
- Store manager: Martin Salmeron
Charitable giving
$18,000 in charitable contributions will be provided to area organizations including: - Boys and Girls Club of Tucson
- Catholic Community Services of Southern Arizona, Inc.
- Flowing Wells High School Band
- GAP Ministries
- Humane Society of Southern Arizona
- Interfaith Community Services
- Northwest Alano Club of Tucson, Inc.
- Pima County Public Library
- The Flowing Wells Baptist Church
Store features - Full line of groceries, bakery goods, deli foods, frozen foods, meat and dairy products, fresh produce, beer and wine sales, pharmacy with two drive-through lanes, photo kiosk.
- LED lighting in freezer cases and non-sales areas, low-flow toilets and faucets in the bathroom, and concrete flooring made with recycled materials.
- Open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Employment - The store will employ approximately 88 associates.
- The national average wage at Walmart for full-time hourly associates is $10.83 per hour.*
- Store Manager Martin Salmeron began his Walmart career 11 years ago as an hourly associate at the Supercenter on Valencia.
- Walmart benefits – available to eligible full- and part-time associates – include healthcare insurance with no lifetime maximum. Walmart also offers a 401(k) plan and profit sharing contributions, whether an associate contributes or not, store discount cards, company performance-based bonuses, stock purchase program and life insurance.
* Average wage taken June 2008. See www.walmartstores.com for details. For more information # # #
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