Walmart Brings Savings to Maricopa
New store provides 320 jobs, convenient one-stop shopping MARICOPA, Ariz., May 15, 2009 – The new Walmart in Maricopa will celebrate its grand opening this week, bringing the community hundreds of jobs, support for local organizations and Walmart’s unbeatable prices on a full line of groceries and general merchandise. The new store, located at 41650 W. Maricopa Casa Grande, will open at 8 a.m., Wednesday, May 20 and give local shoppers a glimpse at Walmart’s next generation of store design and customer experience. “Our new store is ready to serve the growing Maricopa community by helping families save money on everyday necessities like groceries and $4 prescriptions,” said Store Manager Suzzan Cortez. “We will also boost the community by providing more than 320 planned new jobs to the Maricopa economy.” New Features, Layout Improve Customer Experience
In recent months, Walmart has taken major steps to refresh its stores, merchandising and customer experience. The improvements have all come together in the company’s newest stores, such as the Maricopa Walmart, with fast service, a friendly shopping experience and clean stores. The new store features wide aisles, enhanced service and a layout designed to make the shopping experience more convenient for customers. Walmart 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. “The layout of the store is easy to navigate, which will save our customers time as they shop for everyday necessities,” said Cortez. “By grouping the products that our customers most often purchase including health and beauty and pet products, we are making one-stop shopping even easier.” Walmart customers will find savings in the store’s extensive electronics department featuring a wide selection of the latest consumer electronics and home entertainment. The store design includes a more hands-on experience for customers with interactive displays for hi-definition Blu-ray, video gaming and portable electronics. The interactive experience makes it easier for shoppers to test new technology including laptops, cameras, phones and GPS units before they purchase. 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. Walmart also combined the customer service desk, site to store pick-up location and photo lab in one area near the entrance. Customers now have easy access to these services, as well as associates on hand to help meet their needs. Walmart Brings 320 Jobs to Maricopa
The new store plans to employ approximately 320 associates, according to Cortez. “Working for Walmart provides a number of job opportunities and career choices for so many people, from seniors looking for supplemental income to young people just starting their work experience,” said Cortez. Ten of the store’s associates have worked for Walmart for more than 10 years. Like most Walmart store managers, Cortez joined the company as an hourly associate. She began her career in 1996, working as a seasonal sales associate at a store in San Diego. Community Organizations Benefit from Grand-Opening Grants
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 Maricopa Walmart selected the Community of Hope Church, Maricopa Education Foundation and Legacy Traditional School to receive $5,000 each. The Maricopa 4-H Rattlers will receive $500. “We are looking forward to the opportunity to work with Walmart,” said Wendy Webb, executive director of F.O.R. Maricopa. “We are trying to obtain a refrigerated truck to help us in our food collection, and this grant will help us with that purchase. We are excited about having this new store become an active member of our community.” Store Design Incorporates Environmentally Friendly Features
The Maricopa Walmart, 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 in the store operates 70 percent more efficiently than traditional fluorescent lighting. The cement used in the concrete flooring includes 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. The new store will also operate a recycling program and promote sustainable product purchases. Ribbon-Cutting Celebration 7:30 a.m., May 20
Community and business leaders will join Walmart associates at 7:30 a.m. Wednesday for a brief ribbon-cutting ceremony. Students from Legacy Elementary School will perform the national anthem, and Maricopa Mayor Anthony Smith will cut the ribbon to the new store. 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. EDITOR’S NOTES - An invitation-only open house for grant recipients and other VIPs is scheduled for 6 p.m., Monday, May 18. It will include preview tours and check presentations to representatives of community organizations. Reporters and photographers are welcome
- Store Manager Suzzan Cortez is available for interviews and to arrange photo opportunities or tours. She can be reached at 520-568-0846.
FACT SHEET
Maricopa Walmart Store facts - Location: 41650 W. Maricopa Casa Grande, Maricopa, Ariz.
- 184,103-square-foot Walmart
- Store opens at 8 a.m. Wednesday, May 20, following a 7:30 a.m. ribbon-cutting ceremony
- Store manager: Suzzan Cortez
- Open 24 hours a day, seven days a week
Store features - Full line of groceries including a bakery, a deli serving fresh food and meal solutions for busy moms, meat and dairy products, fresh produce and liquor sales
- More than 30 merchandise departments such as apparel and accessories, a drive-through lawn and garden center, health and beauty aids, and a full line of electronics
- Convenience services include a pharmacy, vision center, digital photo processing center and Walmart Connect Center
- Leased areas and services include a McDonald’s restaurant and a SmartStyle Family Hair Care salon
Charitable giving - $15,500 in grants from the Walmart Foundation to the following area organizations
- Community of Hope Church
- Legacy Traditional School
- Maricopa 4-H Rattlers
- Maricopa Education Foundation
Employment - Store plans to employ approximately 320 associates
- Store manager Suzzan Cortez started her career with Walmart in 1996 as an hourly associate, working as a seasonal sales associate at a store in San Diego.
- The average wage at Walmart for full-time hourly associates in Arizona is approximately $11.20 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 February 2009. See www.walmartstores.com for details. Walmart in Arizona - As of April, Walmart employed 32,304 associates and owned and operated the following facilities in Arizona:
- Walmarts: 62
- Discount Stores: 9
- Neighborhood Markets: 22
- Sam’s Clubs: 15
- Distribution Centers: 3
Learn more about Walmart in Arizona. For more information - Store manager: Suzzan Cortez, 520-568-0846
- Walmart information online: www.walmartstores.com; merchandise sales: www.walmart.com
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