Hurricane Residents To Save More With New Supercenter

New store brings 300 jobs to the community

HURRICANE, Utah, March 11, 2009 – The new Walmart Supercenter opening Wednesday in Hurricane brings much-awaited one-stop shopping convenience to the community while providing jobs to more than 300 area residents. The store will also introduce local shoppers to Walmart’s newest store layout and features, all designed to enhance the customer experience. The store, located at 180 N. 3400 W., will open its doors to customers at 8 a.m. As part of the festivities, associates will hand out more than $15,000 in grants to local schools and non-profit organizations.

“As Hurricane’s mayor, I welcome this Walmart store with enthusiasm and gratitude,” said Mayor Thomas Beatty Hirschi. “I’m enthused about the economic possibilities for our citizens and at the prospect of the city’s receiving additional tax revenue.”

City Manager Clark Fawcett agreed, saying, “We’ve been looking forward to the opening of the Walmart Supercenter for quite some time now. We want to give local residents more reasons to shop here at home and encourage more visitors to stop in Hurricane while they’re enjoying the area parks and reservoirs. We also anticipate that Walmart will soon jumpstart the development of a new commercial district that’s been part of the city’s master plan for years.”

The Hurricane store is one of two Walmart Supercenters opening in Utah March 18. The other is located in Cedar Hills. They are among the first stores to feature the new Walmart logo.

“We are proud to help our community by saving families money, bringing area residents good jobs and having a positive economic impact,” said Store Manager Alberto Rivera.

Layout Improves Customer Experience
In recent months, Walmart has taken major steps to refresh its stores, merchandise and customer experience. The improvements have all come together in the company’s newest stores, such as the Hurricane Supercenter, bringing customers faster service, a friendlier shopping experience and cleaner stores.

The new Supercenter is designed to make shopping easy for customers. The layout creates an open shopping environment with wider aisles that contain no product displays. Walmart also aligned the departments that customers shop most frequently. The pharmacy, for example, is adjacent to food making it easier for customers to pick up their prescriptions while shopping for their groceries.

A bright interior color palette creates an inviting shopping experience and helps define the store’s merchandise areas. Lower shelving creates an improved sightline and directional signage on every aisle helps customers find what they are looking for quickly.

“The layout of the store is easy to navigate, which will save our customers time as they shop for everyday necessities,” Rivera said. “By grouping the products that our customers most often purchase including health and beauty and pet supplies, we are making one-stop shopping even easier.”

Store Design Blends with Community, Incorporates Environmentally Friendly Features
Walmart worked with community leaders to ensure the look of the store complemented local architecture. The exterior features a color palette of Southwestern and desert colors, and the landscaping includes a variety of native plants.

The Hurricane Supercenter, like all new Walmartludes energy-efficient technology and environmentally friendly features to reduce energy and water consumption and minimize waste. The store’s skylights harvest daylight and reduce the amount of energy required to light the store by up to 75 percent daily. LED lighting throughout the store operates 70 percent more efficiently than traditional fluorescent lighting. Part of the cement used in the concrete flooring is made with recycled materials, and the floor’s finish reduces the need for chemical cleaners. Low-flow toilets and faucets reduce the water used in the bathrooms.

Supercenter Brings 300 Jobs to Hurricane
The Supercenter plans to employ more than 300 associates, according to Rivera. 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

Grand Opening Grants Make a Difference
As part of Walmart’s commitment to the communities in which it operates, $15,500 in grants from the Walmart Foundation will be presented during the grand-opening celebration. Associates at the Hurricane Supercenter selected Dixie Care and Share to receive a $3,000 grant to help it stock its food pantry. Hurricane High School and Hurricane, La Verking and Three Falls elementary schools will each receive $1,000 grants. The Washington County Sheriff's Department will receive a $2,000 grant to help law enforcement personnel receive search and rescue training.

Ribbon-Cutting Celebration 7:15 a.m., March 18
Community and business leaders will join Walmart associates at 7:15 a.m. Wednesday for a brief ribbon-cutting ceremony. Throughout the day, customers will be able to enjoy character appearances, product samples 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. More information about Walmart can be found by visiting www.walmartstores.com. Online merchandise sales are available at www.walmart.com.

FACT SHEET
Hurricane Walmart Supercenter

Store facts

Location: 180 N. 3400 W., Hurricane, Utah
153,430-square-foot Walmart Supercenter
Store opens at 8 a.m., Wednesday, March 18, following a 7:15 a.m. ribbon-cutting ceremony
Store manager: Alberto Rivera

Store features

Full line of groceries, bakery goods, deli foods, frozen foods, meat and dairy products, fresh produce
More than 30 merchandise departments such as apparel and accessories, fine jewelry, sporting goods, a lawn and garden center with drive-through loading area, health and beauty aids, and a full line of electronics
Convenience services include a pharmacy, digital photo processing center and Walmart Connect Center
Leased areas and services include a Subway restaurant, SmartStyle Family Hair Care salon and America First Credit Union.
Open 24 hours a day, seven days a week

Charitable giving
$15,500 in charitable contributions to the following area organizations

City of Hurricane Fire Department
City of Hurricane Parks and Recreation Department
City of Hurricane Police Department
City of Hurricane Senior Center
City of Hurricane Volunteer Services
Dixie Care and Share
Hurricane Elementary School
Hurricane High School
La Verking Elementary School
Three Falls Elementary School
Washington County Sheriff's Department

Employment

Store plans to employ more than 300 associates.
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

Walmart in Utah
As of February, Walmart employed 16,501 associates and owned and operated the following facilities in Utah:

Supercenters: 30
Discount Stores: 2
Neighborhood Markets: 5
Sam’s Clubs: 8
Distribution Centers: 3

Utah News

Walmart in the News

Hurricane Residents To Save More With New Supercenter

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