Garland Supercenter Focuses on Local PreferencesInnovative energy-efficient store anchors neighborhood revitalization GARLAND, Texas, May 1, 2008 – Distinctive elements and special features abound throughout the new Wal-Mart Supercenter opening May 7 in Garland. Customers at the newly relocated store will find a merchandise mix created with their preferences in mind, including family-oriented departments, bold colors and popular foods. The store is also built to minimize its impact on the environment as the latest of Wal-Mart’s High-Efficiency stores to open. Located at 1801 Marketplace Dr., the store anchors the 48-acre Centerville Marketplace West shopping district near the intersections of LBJ Freeway/Interstate 635, Northwest Highway and Saturn Road. The city of Garland spearheaded the effort to replace a dilapidated apartment complex and other properties and then attract new development. The store is part of a neighborhood revitalization effort that brings new energy to a formerly declining area. Local officials and community leaders will join Wal-Mart representatives to celebrate the store’s opening with a 7:30 a.m. ribbon-cutting ceremony May 7, followed by an all-day celebration. “It’s been wonderful to see this area revitalized and experience the enthusiasm surrounding our opening,” said Store Manager Daryl Scoggins. He was born and raised in Garland, graduating from Garland High School in 1984. He chose to return to the area to manage the new Supercenter. “I am so excited about coming home to Garland,” he said. “The city of Garland acted on its vision to replace blighted properties with a center bustling with retail, restaurants and other businesses. I’m proud to be a part of it.” The Garland store is the latest High-Efficiency Wal-Mart Supercenter to open. The HE.2 store is designed to greatly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and use 25 percent less energy than a typical Wal-Mart Supercenter. By incorporating some of the most innovative products in building today, the HE.2 prototype uses many of the energy improvements from the first generation High-Efficiency (HE.1) stores, such as the one in nearby Highland Village. HE.2 stores feature industry-leading advancements such as integrated heating, cooling and refrigeration systems, and lighting innovations to conserve energy. (Editors’ Note: See page four for more information on High-Efficiency stores.) Store Designed for Local Tastes Wal-Mart paid attention to the shopping patterns and preferences of its customers and designed the store to reflect the local community. As a result, the store will make fresh corn and flour tortillas and chips daily. The deli will also offer fresh-baked bolillo and pandulce, and the produce department will include an expanded selection of bananas, plantains, chilies and spices. Customers can pick up bulk packages of specially marinated meat, rice and beans. Near the entrance, shoppers will find a La Micha juice bar and a special shop with merchandise for the latest holiday or upcoming sporting event. Customers will enjoy shopping with their families throughout the store, including its new youth-oriented department that displays children’s furniture, bedding and home décor together. Bold colors, popular brands and the latest fashions fill the store’s apparel and home décor sections. The store also has expanded its selection of children’s and infant apparel and accessories. In addition to the latest electronics, the store offers a wide variety of Spanish-language music, movies, games and other entertainment choices. The new Supercenter will have a Wal-Mart MoneyCenter to assist customers who are outside of mainstream banking with convenient access to low-cost money services, including check cashing, money orders, bill payment and money transfers. For added convenience, there will be a vision center, a pharmacy with two drive-through lanes, a digital photo processing center and a Wal-Mart Connect Center for wireless phone sales. Leased areas and services include a SmartStyle Family Hair Care salon, DaVi Nails salon, a Subway restaurant and a branch of First Convenience Bank. Commitment to Community Continues with $18,000 in Grants “In addition to cash contributions, we’ve supported these agencies and other community charitable efforts for years by hosting fund-raisers, providing volunteers, and giving in-kind merchandise donations,” Scoggins said. “We think of them as our community partners and consider it a privilege to support the good work they do.” Wal-Mart Provides Local Jobs “Many associates joined because they know they have the opportunity for a long-lasting career at Wal-Mart,” Scoggins said. Like three-fourths of Wal-Mart store management, Scoggins started his own career with the company as an hourly associate. He joined the company in 1994, gathering carts and stocking shelves at a store in Benton, Ark. He is one of 52 of the store’s associates who have worked for Wal-Mart for more than 10 years. Ribbon-cutting Celebration 7:30 a.m., May 7 About Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT) EDITOR’S NOTES STORE FACT SHEET Store facts Store features Charitable giving
Employment HIGH-EFFICIENCY STORE INFORMATION The Garland, Texas, store is the fourth Wal-Mart Supercenter classified as an HE.2 energy-efficient prototype. The stores are located in a variety of climate zones to evaluate how the systems perform and expected to use 20 percent less energy than a typical Supercenter. The stores feature industry-leading advancements such as integrated heating, cooling and refrigeration systems, and lighting innovations to conserve energy. In July 2005, Wal-Mart opened the first of its experimental stores in nearby McKinney, Texas, followed by the opening of a similar store in Aurora, Colo., in November 2005, with the hope that successful experiments could someday be incorporated into new store prototypes. The Garland High-Efficiency store brings many of these experiments to life. Additional Energy-Efficient Store components include: In 2007, Wal-Mart opened a series of HE.1 stores in Kansas City, Mo.; Rockton, Ill.; and Highland Village, Texas. In January 2008, the first HE.2 prototype store opened in Romeoville, Ill. Others have since opened in Bernalillo, N.M., and Wichita, Kan. Wal-Mart is now introducing its next generation of energy-efficient U.S. stores, the HE.5 prototype. The first HE.5 prototype opened in Las Vegas in March 2008.. These stores use up to 45 percent less energy than the baseline Supercenter. Building upon learnings from previous high efficiency stores Wal-Mart opened in 2007 and 2008, the HE.5 begins a new series of prototypes designed for specific climates.
Wal-Mart customers are increasingly becoming familiar with the company’s energy-saving innovations as they are introduced in stores opening across the country. Many new stores now feature daylight-harvesting systems that minimize electricity usage during periods of bright sunlight, motion sensor-driven LED refrigerated and freezer case lighting and polished concrete floors that reduce the need for harsh chemical cleaning products. # # # |
