Expanded Walmart Stores Bring Grocery Savings to Detroit Area
Stores add 450 new jobs; $21,300 in grants to local organizations DETROIT, Mich., Oct. 26, 2009 – The wait is over for Detroit area residents eager to see their Woodhaven and Van Buren Township Walmart stores offer savings on a full line of groceries and a wide assortment of new products and services. The newly expanded Walmart stores are designed to make shopping easy for customers. The stores’ expansions bring a total of 450 new jobs to the community. Nonprofit organizations will also benefit from the retailer’s ongoing charitable contributions and support for community projects. The Van Buren Township Walmart, located at 10562 Belleville Road, will open to customers at 7:30 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 28 and the Woodhaven Walmart, located at 23800 Allen Road, will be open to customers at 7:30 a.m. after ribbon-cutting ceremonies.
“We have a loyal customer base and some have been shopping here since our original opening,” said Van Buren Township store manager Bernie Dave. “We think they’ll love the new, easy-to-shop layout of the store and appreciate the savings we offer on the products they need.”
Economic Impact of Expanded Stores Includes 450 Combined New Jobs
The Van Buren Township Walmart store plans to employ 425 associates, including approximately 300 positions created by the expansion, according to Store Manager Bernie Dave. The Woodhaven Walmart added 150 new positions and will employ approximately 410 total associates, according to Store Manager Leatricia Ahmadu. “Joining Walmart was a great career decision for me, as it has been for so many of my fellow associates,” Ahmadu said. “I am proud to bring good jobs with career opportunities to our community and neighbors.”
New Layout Improves Customer Experience
The Woodhaven and Van Buren Township Walmart stores also feature a new layout and updated design. In recent months, Walmart has taken major steps to refresh its stores, its merchandise and its customer experience. The improvements have all come together in the company’s newest stores with faster service, a friendlier shopping experience and cleaner stores.
“The layout of the stores is easy to navigate, which will save customers time as they shop for everyday necessities at our unbeatable prices,” said Dave. “By grouping the products that our customers most often purchase we are making one-stop shopping even easier.”
The new layout creates an open shopping environment with wider aisles that contain no product displays. Lower shelving throughout the store creates an improved sightline and directional signage on every aisle helps customers find what they are looking for quickly.
Community Organizations Benefit from Grand-Opening Grants
As part of Walmart’s commitment to the communities in which it operates grants from the Walmart Foundation will be presented during the grand-opening celebrations. The Woodhaven Walmart will present $15,300 in grants to local organizations including the City of Woodhaven Fire Department and the City of Woodhaven Parks Department, which will each receive a $2,500 grant. Children With Hair Loss with receive a $1,800 grant and PAWS will receive a $1,500 grant. Bates Elementary School, Jo Brighton Skill Center, Huntington Elementary School, Ford Line Elementary School, Muscular Dystrophy Association, Henry Middle School and Yake Elementary School will each receive $1,000 grants to support programs that serve the community.
The Van Buren Township Walmart will present $6,000 in grants to local organizations including a $3,000 grant to the Belleville Fire Department and $1,000 grants to Tyler Elementary School, The Belleville Food Closet and the Boys and Girls Club of Belleville.
Store Design Incorporates Environmentally Friendly Features
Both the Woodhaven and Van Buren Township Walmart stores, like all new Walmart stores, include energy-efficient technology and environmentally friendly features to reduce energy and water consumption and minimize waste. The stores’ skylights harvest daylight and reduce the amount of energy required to light the store by up to 75 percent daily. LED lighting in the stores operates 70 percent more efficiently than traditional fluorescent lighting.
About Walmart
Every week, millions of customers visit Walmart stores, 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 (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 $378 million to local communities in the United States.
EDITOR’S NOTES - Woodhaven Store Co-Manager Leatricia Ahmadu is available for interviews and to arrange photo opportunities or tours. They can be reached at 734-675-4360.
- Van Buren Township Store Manager Bernie Dave is available for interviews and to arrange photo opportunities or tours. He can be reached at 734-697-2078.
- Statements and quotes on behalf of Walmart should not be obtained from or attributed to agency employees.
FACT SHEET
Van Buren Walmart Store facts - Location: 10562 Belleville Road, Van Buren, Mich.
- 195,000-square-foot Walmart
- Store opens at 7:30 a.m. Wednesday, Oct.28, following a 7:30 a.m. ribbon-cutting ceremony
- Store manager: Bernie Dave
- 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 moms, meat and dairy products, fresh produce and beer and wine
- More than 30 merchandise departments such as apparel and accessories, a lawn and garden center, health and beauty aids, and an expanded electronics department, drive thru-pharmacy
- Convenience services include a pharmacy, vision center, digital photo processing center, Walmart Connect Center,
- Leased areas and services include a Picture Me Portrait Studio, Subway restaurant
Charitable giving - $6,000 in grants from the Walmart Foundation to the following area organizations:
- Belleville Fire Department
- Belleville Food Closet
- Boys & Girls Club of Belleville
- Tyler Elementary School
Employment - Store plans to employ approximately 425 associates, including 300 new positions created by the expansion
- The average wage at Walmart for full-time hourly associates in Michigan is approximately $11.48 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.
Grand Opening Ceremony - Ribbon cutting ceremony begins at 7:30 a.m.
- Belleville High School Band performs, Tyler Elementary School student will perform national anthem
For more information
- Store co-managers: Bernie Dave, 734-675-4360.
- Walmart information online: www.walmartstores.com; merchandise sales: www.walmart.com
FACT SHEET
Woodhaven Walmart
Store facts - Location: 23800 Allen Road, Woodhaven, Mich.
- 176,000-square-foot Walmart
- Store opens at 7:30 a.m. Wednesday, Oct.28, following a 7:30 a.m. ribbon-cutting ceremony
- Store Manager: Leatricia Ahmadu
- 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 moms, meat and dairy products, fresh produce and beer and wine
- More than 30 merchandise departments such as apparel and accessories, a lawn and garden center, health and beauty aids, and an expanded electronics department, drive thru-pharmacy
- Convenience services include a pharmacy, vision center, digital photo processing center, Walmart Connect Center
- Leased areas and services include a SmartStyle Family Hair Salon, Subway restaurant
Charitable giving - $15,300 in grants from the Walmart Foundation to the following area organizations:
- Bates Elementary School
- City of Woodhaven Fire Department
- City of Woodhaven Parks Department
- Children With Hair Loss
- Henry Middle School
- Huntington Elementary School
- Muscular Dystrophy Association
- PAWS
- Jo Brighton Skill Center
- Ford Line Elementary School
- Yake Elementary School
Employment - Store plans to employ approximately 410 associates, including 150 new positions created by the expansion
- The average wage at Walmart for full-time hourly associates in Michigan is approximately $11.48 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.
Grand Opening Ceremony - Ribbon cutting ceremony begins at 7:30 a.m.
For more information - An invitation-only open house for grant recipients and other VIPs is scheduled from 6:30 p.m. until 9 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 27. It will include preview tours and check presentations to representatives of community organizations. Reporters and photographers are welcome.
- Store Manager: Leatricia Ahmadu, 734-675-4360.
- Walmart information online: www.walmartstores.com; merchandise sales: www.walmart.com
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