Jefferson City Residents To Save More With New Walmart

New store brings 350 jobs to the community

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo., June 10, 2009 – A new Walmart will open in Jefferson City this month, introducing the company’s next generation of store design and customer experience to the area. Customers will find fresh produce, favorite brands and everyday savings among the store’s wide aisles. The 197,346-square-foot Walmart will open to customers at 8 a.m., Wednesday, June 17, and is located at 401 Supercenter Drive.

Economic Impact Includes 350 New Jobs
On grand-opening day, the new Jefferson City Walmart plans to employ approximately 350 associates, according to Store Manager Scott McCutchen. Fourteen of the store’s associates have worked for Walmart for more than 10 years. McCutchen is a Jefferson City native and began his Walmart career as a sales associate in 1981 at the other store in Jefferson City.

Layout Improves 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 Jefferson City Walmart, with fast service, a friendly shopping experience and clean stores.

The new Walmart 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 McCutchen. “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.”

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.

Community Organizations Benefit from Grand-Opening Grants
As part of Walmart’s commitment to the communities in which it operates, $20,000 in grants from the Walmart Foundation will be presented during the grand-opening celebration. The following organizations will each receive grants to support programs that serve the community: Able Learning Center, Samaritan Center Interfaith Agency, Jefferson City Police Department and Jefferson High School Band Boosters.

Store Design Incorporates Environmentally Friendly Features
The Jefferson City 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 throughout the store operates 70 percent more efficiently than traditional fluorescent lighting. Low-flow toilets and faucets reduce the water used in the bathrooms and the store’s concrete floors include recycled materials.

Ribbon-Cutting Celebration 7:30 a.m., June 17
Community and business leaders will join Walmart associates at 7:30 a.m. Wednesday for a brief ribbon-cutting ceremony. Janice Hinman, a store associate, will perform the national anthem and members of the Jefferson City High School band will provide music at the event. 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 at 6 p.m., Thursday, June 11. It will include preview tours and check presentations to representatives of community organizations. Reporters and photographers are welcome.
Store Manager Scott McCutchen is available for interviews and to arrange photo opportunities or tours.He can be reached at 573-635-3535.

FACT SHEET
Jefferson City Walmart

Store facts

Location: 401 Supercenter Drive, Jefferson City, Mo.
197,346-square-foot Walmart
Store opens at 8 a.m. Wednesday, June 17, following a 7:30 a.m. ribbon-cutting ceremony
Store manager: Scott McCutchen

Store features

Full line of groceries, bakery goods, deli foods, frozen foods, meat and dairy products, fresh produce and liquor sales.
More than 30 merchandise departments such as apparel and accessories, fine jewelry, a drive-through lawn and garden center, health and beauty aids, and a full line of electronics
Convenience services include a pharmacy with two drive-through lanes, Tire & Lube Express, vision center, digital photo processing center and Walmart Connect Center
Leased areas and services include a SmartStyles family hair salon, Subway restaurant and a branch of Central Bank
Open 24 hours a day, seven days a week

Charitable giving

$20,000 in grants from Walmart Foundation to the following area organizations:
- Able Learning Center
- Catholic Diocese of Jefferson City
- Jefferson City Police Department
- Jefferson High School Band Boosters

Employment

Store plans to employ approximately 350 associates on grand-opening day
The average wage at Walmart for full-time hourly associates in Missouri is approximately $11.27 per hour*
Store Manager Scott McCutchen, a Jefferson City native, began his Walmart career as a sales associate in 1981 at another Jefferson City store.
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.

For more information