BENTONVILLE, AR, Nov. 17, 2005 – With great anticipation from the Waveland, Mississippi community, Wal-Mart today announced the grand opening of the new “Wal-Mart Express” on the site of its formerly damaged Wal-Mart Supercenter. This new store format will offer a merchandise mix solely focused on the unique needs of this community still recovering from the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. Operating more recently as a “tent store” to provide basic needs for residents, the new store will open its doors Sat., Nov. 19 at 8 a.m. This store still is one of first businesses to officially “open” along Gulf Coast Hwy 90 in Mississippi.
The Wal-Mart Express is a new store concept that differs from the footprint of a typical Wal-Mart store. According to Pam Kohn, the division’s senior vice president, “The new prototype store will allow us to respond to this community’s immediate needs.” Wal-Mart plans to eventually return the Waveland store to a Wal-Mart Supercenter in the future. Store features
The 57,000 square foot store can be entered through the store’s original front entrance and is enclosed within the original 205,800 square foot building by dust-proof, insulated walls. The merchandise mix will differ from a typical Wal-Mart store, focusing on essential items, in the quantities and sizes needed for this community, as they continue to rebuild from the storm. Such items include: • Larger sized containers of paint and cleaning solutions, such as five gallon tubs;
• Expanded hardware and home improvement items such as tools and cleaning products;
• Large household items and appliances, such as washers, dryers, refrigerators and TVs;
• Basic clothing items such as shirts, jeans, and shoes;
• Frozen meat and packed food aisles and freezers, as well as dry food aisles;
• Photo Center (film development is a large need by insurance adjusters and residents);
• Pharmacy;
• Cellular products and services and in-store kiosks for ordering larger items and quantities on-line at www.walmart.com or www.samsclub.com, to be delivered to the store for pick-up or to a customer’s home. * According to Store Manager Ray Cox, the merchandise mix and design is a reflection of Wal-Mart’s “store of the community” philosophy, providing the products that reflect the needs of Waveland customers. “We are rebuilding our store as this community rebuilds,” said Cox. “We will be able to change our product assortment as the needs of Waveland change. We look forward to the day when our building can return to a typical Wal-Mart store, reflecting the full recovery of our community.” Grand opening activities
A small grand opening ceremony and ribbon cutting will be held on Nov. 19 at 8 a.m. inside the store. Mayor Tommy Longo and other local dignitaries plan to attend, as well as some organizations receiving donations in celebration of the grand opening.
Charitable Giving
As a part of its grand opening celebration, the new Waveland Wal-Mart Express will be providing $10,000 in grants to the local community, the majority of which will provide funding to local Waveland-area schools.
• Bay High School
• Bay Waveland Middle School
• Boys and Girls Clubs of the Gulf Coast
• Charles B. Murphy Elementary School
• East Hancock Elementary School
• Gulfview Elementary School
• Hancock County Food Pantry
• Hancock County Senior Center
• Hancock High School
• Hancock Middle School
• Hancock North Central Elementary School
• Hope Haven of Hancock
• Bay St. Louis Rotary Club
• North Bay Elementary School
• Second Street Elementary School
• Waveland Elementary School
About Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. operates Wal-Mart Stores, Supercenters, Neighborhood Markets and SAM’S CLUB locations in the United States. The company also operates 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 and Pacific stock exchanges 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.
EDITOR’S NOTES
• Wal-Mart employees are called Associates
• Wal-Mart Express is a trademarked name and has been used by Wal-Mart on other occasions for stores in different formats.
• Wal-Mart has provided more than $20 million in cash assistance toward disaster relief and recovery due to Hurricane Katrina, and more than $3 million in product donations.
• See
www.walmartfacts.com for details on the company, recent news, up-to-the-minute facts and company statements.
*Items purchased at
www.walmart.com will be delivered to the store free of charge. Items purchased through
www.samsclub.com will be shipped to a person’s home for shipping charge.
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FACT SHEET
Wal-Mart Express in Waveland, Miss.
Opens Nov. 19, 2005
Store fast facts
• Store Location: 460 Highway 90, Waveland, Mississippi.
• Store hours of operation 7 a.m. – 7 p.m.
• Original Waveland Wal-Mart opened in 1988 and became a Supercenter in 2003.
• 57,000 square foot Wal-Mart Express is located within the walls of the original 205,800 square foot Wal-Mart discount store.
• Store opening immediately following the 8 a.m. grand opening ceremony, Sat., Nov. 19.
• Store manager Ray Cox started as an hourly associate and has been with Wal-Mart for 18 years.
Store features
Unique format of product specific to community needs for disaster recovery, including:
• Larger sized containers of paint and cleaning solutions, such as five gallon tubs;
• Home improvement items, hardware tools and cleaning products;
• Large household items and appliances, such as washers, dryers, refrigerators and TVs;
• Basic clothing items such as shirts, jeans, and shoes;
• Frozen meats/food aisles and freezers, as well as dry food aisles;
• Photo Center (film development is a large need by insurance adjusters and residents);
• Pharmacy;
• A Connection Center, housing cellular products and in-store kiosks for ordering larger items and quantities on-line at www.walmart.com or www.samsclub.com, to be delivered to the store for pick-up or home.
*Items purchased at www.walmart.com will be delivered to the store free of charge. Items purchased through samsclub.com will be shipped to a person’s home for shipping charge.
Employment
• Total employment is 110 associates.
• In Mississippi, there are 25,257 Wal-Mart associates (as of September 2005).
• Majority of jobs are full-time.
• Approximately 76 percent of Wal-Mart store managers started as hourly associates. Charitable giving
• $10,000 in charitable contributions given to area organizations (mostly Waveland-area schools) in celebration of the new store opening.
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