Columbus Walmart Expands to Bring Greater Convenience
Supercenter offers groceries, adds environmentally friendly features COLUMBUS, Ohio, Nov. 10, 2008 – Residents in northwest Columbus are excited to see their Walmart become a Supercenter, bringing savings on a full line of groceries, expanded departments and a wide assortment of new products and services. The Supercenter at 5900 Britton Parkway off Interstate 270 will celebrate its grand opening with a brief ceremony at 8 a.m. Wednesday. Expansion Adds Groceries, Incorporates Environmentally Friendly Features
During the expansion, the entire store was remodeled with new flooring, an updated color scheme and a customer-friendly layout with wider aisles and easy-to-read signs. Its exterior now features an earth-tone color scheme, a newly repaved parking lot and enhanced landscaping. The store now features a full line of groceries including fresh fruits and vegetables, dairy products, meats, frozen foods and freshly prepared foods in the bakery and deli. “Over the past 12 years, we’ve introduced more and more grocery items, and with this expansion, we can now offer our customers a full line of groceries, including chicken and other delicious dishes from our deli and freshly baked cakes and pastries from the bakery,” said Store Manager Richard Lundquist. “We’ve also expanded our merchandise selection, added time-saving services and extended our hours to 24 hours.” New leased areas and services include a SmartStyle Family Hair Salon and a branch of Woodforest National Bank. The store also has a pharmacy, a vision center, a Tire & Lube Express, a one-hour photo lab and a Subway restaurant. As part of the expansion, Walmart added energy-efficient technology and environmentally friendly features to reduce energy and water consumption and minimize waste. LED lighting throughout the store operates 70 percent more efficiently than traditional fluorescent lighting. Low-flow toilets and motion-sensitive faucets reduce the water used in the store’s bathrooms. Plastic hangers, aluminum cans and office paper are sandwiched between cardboard, bundled into bales and sent to recycling centers, and the Supercenter is committed to offering products that are sustainable and affordable. Supercenter to Make Holiday Shopping a Breeze
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 Lundquist. “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.” Community Involvement Continues with Grand-Opening Grants
The newly expanded store is continuing its support of the area by giving $18,000 in grants from the Walmart Foundation to local organizations. That support includes a $5,000 grant to the Mid-Ohio Foodbank, which supplies food to more than 500 food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, senior dining centers and after-school enrichment programs in 20 counties in central and eastern Ohio. The Dublin Food Pantry, which is housed at the Dublin Community Church, will receive a separate $2,500 grant to support its efforts to provide supplemental food to families in need throughout the community. “We are very grateful for Walmart’s support here in Columbus, which will help us get food to where it’s most needed for people who are struggling to feed their families,” said Matt Habash, president and CEO of Mid-Ohio Foodbank. “The Foodbank is dedicated to feeding hungry people, but our work wouldn’t be possible without our food industry partners, and we count Walmart as a critical partner in our work.” Local public safety agencies will also receive grants, including the Columbus Fire Department, the Dublin Police Department DARE program and the Washington Township Fire Department. Other grant recipients are the Dublin City School District, Columbus Literacy Council and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3268. Supercenter Provides Jobs, Opportunity
The store plans to employ approximately 320 associates, including 130 new positions created by the expansion. “Joining Walmart was a great career decision for me, as it has been for so many of my fellow associates,” Lundquist said. “It makes me proud to work for this company where there are unlimited opportunities. Many associates joined because they know they have the opportunity for a long-lasting career at Walmart.” Like most Walmart store managers, Lundquist started his career with the retailer as an hourly associate. He joined the company in 1997, working in the dairy department of a store in Bradenton, Fla. Ribbon-cutting Celebration 8 a.m., Nov. 12
Community and business leaders will join Walmart associates at 8 a.m. Wednesday for a brief ribbon-cutting ceremony. Rev. Robert Tussing, senior minister of Dublin Community Church, will offer an invocation to begin the ceremony. The Washington Township Fire Department’s color guard will present the colors, and students from Dublin Jerome High School will perform the national anthem. Activities throughout the day 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. Walmart proudly supports the causes that are important to customers and associates right in their own neighborhoods and last year gave more than $296 million to 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 Walmart associates, their families and other VIPs is scheduled for 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday and will include tours and check presentations to representatives from community organizations. Reporters and photographers are welcome.
- Store Manager Richard Lundquist is available for interviews and to arrange photo opportunities or tours. He can be reached at 614-717-9660.
- Walmart information online: www.walmartstores.com; merchandise sales: www.walmart.com
- The terms “Walmart” and “Walmart Stores” refer to the corporate entity. “Walmart,” expressed as one word and without hyphenation, refers to the brand name of the company’s U.S. operations. This distinction came in June after the company announced the introduction of a new logo for its U.S. store operations.
FACT SHEET
Northwest Columbus Walmart Supercenter Store facts - Location: 5900 Britton Parkway, Columbus, Ohio
- Originally opened in 1996
- 190,000 square-foot Walmart Supercenter, gaining an additional 40,000 square feet
- Ribbon-cutting ceremony at 8 a.m., Wednesday, Nov. 12
- Store manager: Richard Lundquist
Store features - A full line of groceries, bakery goods, deli foods, frozen foods, meat and dairy products, fresh produce, and a beer/wine section
- Merchandise departments that include apparel and accessories, fine jewelry, lawn and garden center, health and beauty aids, and a full line of electronics
- Convenience services that include a digital photo processing center, vision center, Tire & Lube Express, Walmart Connect Center and pharmacy
- Leased areas and services that include a Subway restaurant, SmartStyle Family Hair Salon and a branch of Woodforest National Bank
- Open 24 hours a day, seven days a week
Charitable giving
$18,000 in grants from the Walmart Foundation to eight area organizations - Columbus Fire Department
- Columbus Literacy Council
- Dublin City School District
- Dublin Police Department (DARE program)
- Dublin Community Church
- Mid-Ohio Foodbank
- Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3268
- Washington Township Fire Department
Employment - Store plans to employ approximately 320 associates, including around 130 new positions created by the expansion
- Seventeen associates have worked for Walmart for more than 10 years
- Ten associates have worked at the store since it opened in 1996
- The average wage at Walmart for full-time hourly associates in Ohio is $11.02 per hour*
- 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.
* Average wage taken October 2008. See www.walmartstores.com for details. For more information # # #
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