A First in Eagle River - A Walmart Supercenter
Added grocery and expanded inventory meet the needs of the community EAGLE RIVER, Alaska, Nov. 10, 2008 – Shoppers in the Chugiak-Eagle River area will now have the chance to save more money on groceries and other amenities as the Eagle River Walmart officially becomes a Supercenter. After opening as a full Supercenter at 6 a.m., Wednesday, Nov. 12, the store will celebrate its grand re-opening with a special ribbon-cutting ceremony at 8 a.m. The Supercenter is located at 18600 Eagle River Rd. at the intersection with Eagle River Loop Road. By adding to both ends of the existing structure, the store has gained approximately 69,000 additional square feet, adding a full grocery department, expanding its merchandise selection and offering a variety of new services. “Our shoppers will now be able to get fresh produce and groceries at Walmart’s unbeatable prices right here at home,” said Store Manager Austin Zimiga. “With the current economy, we know how important bringing low prices on everyday necessities is to our customers,” he added. The grocery department includes fresh fruits and vegetables, meat and dairy products and a frozen food section. The store also has a deli offering rotisserie chicken, popcorn chicken and a wide variety of fresh prepared foods including sandwiches and salads. Customers can order custom-decorated cakes and pick up freshly made pastries and breads in the bakery. The store also has expanded home entertainment and electronics departments that showcase well-known consumer electronics such as MP3 players, DVD players for home or auto and high-definition televisions. Other departments will feature apparel, health and beauty aids, accessories and fine jewelry. Beginning Nov. 16 the store will be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. New Store Brings Holiday Savings
The new Supercenter will help customers get a jump on their holiday shopping while saving money. The store will feature a Christmas Shop where customers can meet all their holiday needs at affordable prices. Budget-conscious shoppers can find Christmas trees, ornaments, wrapping paper, lights and outside decor. “We believe our customers will be looking to stretch their dollars more than ever this holiday season,” said Zimiga. “Our store will provide affordable and convenient solutions to help customers meet their Christmas shopping needs. We look forward to offering unbeatable prices throughout the Christmas shopping season.” Grants Continue Walmart’s Tradition of Charitable Support
As part of Walmart’s commitment to the communities in which it operates, the newly expanded store is continuing its support of the area by giving grants from the Walmart Foundation to local organizations. That support includes a grant to Junior Achievement of Alaska, which provides students from Kindergarten through high school with economic educational program materials at no charge to the students, the teachers or the schools. The Eagle River Walmart has been actively involved in the JA program through a partnership with Chugiak High School. “For the last four years, several members of our management team have worked with CHS teacher Valerie Ekberg-Brown to help her teach real-world economics to her class,” Zimiga said. “Our department managers have held mock interviews with her students and helped them prepare for life after high school.” Other grant recipients include the Shriners Hospitals for Children, Eagle Boys and Girls Club, River Lions Club and Standing Together Against Rape. (A full list of recipients is on Page 3.) Jobs for 100 More Local Residents
Walmart plans to employ approximately 325 associates, including 100 new positions created by the expansion. Most of the associates will work full-time, according to Zimiga. Approximately 40 associates have worked for the retailer for more than 10 years, and 12 have worked at the store since it originally opened in 2000. “Working for Walmart provides a number of job opportunities and choices for so many people, from seniors looking for supplemental income to young people just starting their work experience,” Zimiga said. Like most other Walmart store managers, Zimiga started his career with the retailer as an hourly associate. He joined the company in 1992, stocking shelves at a store in Watertown, S.D. He has managed the Eagle River store since 2005. Store Has a Number of Sustainable Features
This Supercenter, like all new Walmart stores, was constructed with energy-efficient technology and environmentally friendly features that reduce energy and water consumption and minimize waste. For example, skylights harvest daylight and reduce the amount of energy required to light the store by up to 75 percent daily. LED lighting in the coolers and non-sales areas of the store also operate 70 percent more efficiently than traditional fluorescent lighting. Water flow is regulated in the store’s bathrooms through the use of sensor-activated faucets in the sinks and high-efficiency toilets and urinals that regulate water flow and reduce consumption. Waste heat from the refrigeration system is used to heat hot water for restrooms and kitchen areas. The store also recycles everything from motor oil to waste cooking oil and uses a sandwich bale process that takes all loose plastic, hangers, aluminum cans and office paper and sandwiches them between cardboard, bundles them into bales and sends them to recycling centers. Ribbon-cutting Celebration 8 a.m., Nov. 12
Doors to the new store will open at 6 a.m., Wednesday, Nov. 12. The store becomes a 24-hour Supercenter after midnight on Friday, Nov. 15. Community and business leaders will join Walmart associates for a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 8 a.m. Throughout the day, activities will include numerous product samples, character appearances and giveaways. About Walmart 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
• Store Manager Austin Zimiga is available for interviews and to arrange for photo opportunities or tours. He can be reached at 907-694-9780. FACT SHEET
Eagle River Walmart Supercenter Store facts - Location: 18600 Eagle River Rd., Eagle River, Alaska
- 168,098 square-foot Walmart Supercenter, gaining an additional 69,000 square feet
- Store originally opened in 2000
- Store opens at 6 a.m., Wednesday, Nov. 12, with an 8 a.m. ribbon-cutting ceremony
- Store manager: Austin Zimiga
Store features - Full line of groceries, bakery goods, deli foods, frozen foods, meat and dairy products, fresh produce
- Merchandise departments include apparel and accessories, fine jewelry, health and beauty aids, lawn and garden center and a full line of electronics
- Time-saving services include a pharmacy, digital photo processing center, family fun center
- Leased areas and services include Papa Johns restaurant, SmartStyle Family Hair Care salon and a branch of Denali Alaskan Federal Credit Union
- Open 24 hours a day, seven days a week (as of Nov. 16)
Charitable giving
Charitable contributions to several local organizations - Boys and Girls Club of Eagle River
- Chugiak Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department (not confirmed)
- Eagle River Lions Club
- Junior Achievement of Alaska
- League of Women Voters
- Shriners Hospitals for Children
- Standing Together Against Rape (STAR)
Employment - Store plans to employ approximately 325 associates
- Approximately 40 of the store’s associates have worked for Walmart for more than 10 years
- Store Manager Austin Zimiga started his career with the retailer as an hourly associate in 1992, stocking shelves at a store in Watertown, S.D.
- Walmart benefits – available to eligible full- and part-time associates – include health 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
- The average wage at Walmart for full-time hourly associates in Alaska is approximately $12.57 per hour*
* Average wage taken October 2008. See www.walmartstores.com for details. For more information # # #
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