Country Club Hills Wal-Mart Supercenter Opens Wednesday

COUNTRY CLUB HILLS, Ill., June 12, 2006 – Continuing to provide new jobs and one-stop shopping convenience in the Chicago area, the new Wal-Mart Supercenter in Country Club Hills -- now the closest Supercenter to the City of Chicago -- will open its doors at 7 a.m. on Wednesday, June 14. The store will hold its grand opening celebration at 7:30 a.m. Wednesday with community leaders sharing what the new store brings to the Country Club Hills community, including nearly 500 new jobs, every day low prices and an initial $28,500 donated to local charities upon its opening. The store, located at 4005 W. 167th St., is the anchor to a new retail shopping center two blocks east of Cicero Avenue.

Designed as a convenient one-stop family shopping center, the new 205,826-square-foot Wal-Mart Supercenter features many of the appealing new elements of Wal-Mart stores, including wider aisles, concrete and wood flooring throughout the store and energy-saving skylights. There are 36 store departments including an expanded home organization department, a large infant section complete with a wide selection of baby cribs, youth furniture and infant car seats, and a state-of-the-art electronics department. Customers will find a full line of grocery items, including a bakery, a delicatessen, meat, dairy and fresh produce sections as well as a complete liquor department and a frozen food section. The store also offers family apparel departments highlighting Wal-Mart’s new George© line, health and beauty aids, household needs, toys, fabrics and crafts, lawn and garden supplies, jewelry and shoes.

In addition, the Supercenter has a Tire & Lube Express, a vision center, a pharmacy, a Subway restaurant, a one-hour photo lab, a portrait studio, a Regal Nails Salon, a Smart Style Hair Salon, a branch of Guaranty Bank and a Wal-Mart Connect Center for wireless phone sales. It will be open to customers 24 hours a day, seven days a week and will include 18 full-service and 10 express check-out lanes.

Wal-Mart Economic Impact Strengthens in Chicago Area
Country Club Hills Mayor Dwight Welch says having Wal-Mart in town has provided a much-needed economic boost to the community. “Our Wal-Mart Supercenter is the lynchpin to South suburban sales growth at the retail level,” said Welch. “This new store in Country Club Hills will help create jobs for many people while building a strong tax base for our community and state,” Welch added.

According to Store Manager Brad McClellan, the store has received more than 4,300 applications from local residents. The store will employ 480 associates, which is above average for a new Wal-Mart. The average wage for full time hourly associates at Wal-Mart in the Chicago area is $10.99 per hour.* Seven of the Country Club Hills store’s associates have worked for Wal-Mart for more than 10 years, added McClellan.

Wal-Mart is in the process of opening other new stores in the Chicagoland area in the next several months, including stores in the Waukegan, the 37th Ward and Niles areas. The 37th Ward store, the first within the city, was recently announced as the company’s first “Zone of Opportunity” store, where Wal-Mart is working with leaders and small businesses in this metro area to encourage revitalization. The new Chicago-area Evergreen Park store, which opened last January, continues to see some of the highest customer volumes in the region.

$28,500 in Grants to Local Organizations
According to McClellan, as part of the new store’s commitment to the community, the Country Club Hills Wal-Mart Supercenter will announce $28,500 in donations to local organizations through Wal-Mart’s Good Works community involvement program. Like all Wal-Mart stores, the Country Club Hills Wal-Mart will provide grant dollars throughout the year to help its neighborhood organizations.

Two special grants will be given to the following organizations upon the store’s grand opening:
• The City of Country Club Hills Police Department will receive a $5,000 grant and plans to install a public surveillance system in the Wal-Mart shopping center parking lot.
• The City of Country Club Hills Fire Department will use its $4,600 grant to purchase new stretchers and install child safety seats for the city’s ambulances.
Editor’s Note: For a full list of grant recipients, please see the facts sheet on page 3 of this press release.
Area organizations interested in learning more about funding from Wal-Mart or interested in raising money at Wal-Mart stores can contact the store for details, or go to www.walmartfoundation.org.

Grand Opening Celebration
The store welcomes the community to attend its grand opening celebration at 7:30 a.m., June 14. Father Mike Wheaton of St. Emeric Church will conduct the invocation and members of a local color guard will present the colors. Wal-Mart associate Iola Henry will perform the national anthem. Local dignitaries including Mayor Welch and several Country Club Hills Aldermen will attend the ceremony. McClellan, Mayor Welch and associates will assist in cutting the ribbon to the new store. Additional activities planned during the grand opening event include numerous product samples and character appearances.

About Wal-Mart Stores Inc.
Wal-Mart Stores Inc. operates Wal-Mart Discount Stores, Supercenters, Neighborhood Markets and SAM’S CLUB locations in the United States. The company has operations in Argentina, Brazil, Canada, China, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Germany, Guatemala, Honduras, Japan, Mexico, Nicaragua, Puerto Rico, South Korea and the United Kingdom. The company’s securities are listed on the New York Stock Exchange and NYSE Arca, formerly the Pacific Stock Exchange, under the symbol WMT. More information about Wal-Mart can be found by visiting www.walmartfacts.com. Online merchandise sales are available at www.walmart.com.

As of May 2006, Wal-Mart employed 45,373 associates in the state of Illinois. Including the newest Wal-Mart store in Country Club Hills, the company currently owns and operates the following facilities in the state:
• Supercenters: 52
• Discount Stores: 79
• SAM’S CLUBS: 28
• Distribution Centers: 4

In 2005, Wal-Mart collected on behalf of the state of Illinois more than $428.1 million in sales taxes and paid more than $79.9 million in state and local taxes.
EDITOR’S NOTE: See www.walmartfacts.com for more information about Wal-Mart in Illinois.

EDITOR’S NOTES
• An invitation-only open house for VIPs, Wal-Mart associates and their families is scheduled for Monday, June 12, at 7 p.m. Preview tours will be provided. Checks will be presented to representatives of the community organizations this evening. Reporters and photographers are welcome.
• Brad McClellan, store manager, can provide details about the grand opening, offer quotes for interviews and arrange for photo opportunities or preview tours. He can be contacted at 708-647-1689.
* Average wage taken yearly (December 2005). See www.walmartfacts.com for more details.



Store fast facts
• Location: 4005 W. 167th St., Country Club Hills, Ill.
• 205,826-square-foot Wal-Mart Supercenter
• 7:30 a.m. grand opening ceremony, Wednesday, June 14; doors open at 7 a.m.
• Store manager: Brad McClellan

Store features
• 36 departments including family apparel with an expanded infant section, a home organization department, health and beauty aids, household needs, expanded electronics department, toys, fabrics and crafts, lawn and garden supplies, jewelry and shoes
• Other special features: Tire & Lube Express, vision center, pharmacy, Subway restaurant, one-hour photo lab, portrait studio, Regal Nails Salon, Smart Style Hair Salon, branch of Guaranty Bank, complete liquor department, Wal-Mart Connect Center
• Open 24 hours a day, seven days a week
• 18 full-service, 10 express check-out lanes

Employment
• 480 new jobs, 4,300 applicants
• The average wage at Wal-Mart for full-time hourly associates in the Chicago area is $10.99 per hour.*
• Wal-Mart benefits – available to full- and part-time associates – include healthcare insurance with no lifetime maximum. Wal-Mart offers a choice of as many as 18 health plans that cost as little as $11 a month in some areas. Both full and part-time Wal-Mart associates are eligible for health care benefits. Wal-Mart also offers a 401(k) plan and profit sharing contributions, whether an associate contributes or not, store discount cards, performance-based bonuses, discounted stock purchase program and life insurance.
* Average wage taken December 2005. See www.walmartfacts.com for details.

Charitable giving
• $28,500 in charitable contributions to several area organizations
o City of Country Club Hills
o City of Country Club Hills Fire Department
o City of Country Club Hills Oak Senior Program
o City of Country Club Hills Police Department
o City of Markham Police Department
o City of Oak Forest Police Department
o Country Club Hills School District 160
o Hillcrest High School Hillcrest Parent Advisory Committee
o Hillcrest High School Key Club
o Hillcrest High School NHS
o Prairie Hills Elementary School District
o Rich Central High School
o South Suburban Pads
o St Emeric Church
o St. Johns Evan Lutheran Church School

For more information
• Wal-Mart information online: www.walmartfacts.com; merchandise sales: www.walmart.com