New store provides shopper-friendly layout, new merchandise, grocery and community support
TRIADELPHIA, W.Va., Nov. 2, 2006 – With an exterior design that embraces the beauty of the area mountains and wilderness, the new Triadelphia Supercenter, which opens Wednesday, Nov. 8, will offer an enhanced shopping experience for area residents from the inside out. Doors open to the public immediately following a brief grand opening ceremony at 7:30 a.m. The store is located at 450 Stewart Lane.
“The architecture of this store is unique to Wal-Mart because it was created to celebrate our specific community,” Store Manager Dominick D’Aurora says. The store uses natural stone, logs and has added landscaping to blend in to the community. “There are cedar beams, pillars and five different types of stones within the building,” says D’Aurora. The store itself is a visual example of Wal-Mart’s new national “Store of the Community” strategy, whereby the design of a store and the merchandise inside is specifically selected for relevance to its community.
The storefront architecture was created in partnership with the county commission and Wal-Mart’s design team. Greg Stewart, county administrator, says such designs began months prior with other retail developments in the area, and that Wal-Mart was interested in matching the architecture to maintain the beauty of The Highlands Center. “We’re very proud of the storefront,” Stewart says. “It’s one of the best-looking Wal-Mart’s in this region. I enjoy taking people to look at it.”
“Customers will also be pleasantly surprised with an inviting interior design and layout which will make it easy for them to shop the various merchandise departments and groceries,” added D’Aurora.
Welcome Inside
A few new features to the store’s interior include cherry wood accents in its books and stationery area, wood laminate flooring in apparel, and wood grain counters and cornices. The layout of the store areas aims to be more streamlined and efficient for shopping patterns, and new navigational signage provides easy access to department areas. The new layout also includes wider aisles throughout the store and larger electronics and toy departments. Just in time for the holiday season, the new store will open with Wal-Mart’s “Toyland,” featuring the hottest toys at the coolest prices. Customers will be able to fill any child’s wish list with everything from classic favorites such as Baby Alive, digital and electronic toys, board games to plush toy characters that come to life.
According to D’Aurora, the new 208,000-square-foot Wal-Mart Supercenter features 36 general merchandise departments including apparel and accessories, fine jewelry, a lawn and garden center, and health and beauty aids. Designed as a convenient, one-stop family shopping center, the store has a bakery, a delicatessen, a frozen food section and meat, dairy and fresh produce sections. It will be open to customers 24 hours a day, seven days a week and will include 17 full-service, six express and four self check-out lanes.
Other store features include a Tire & Lube Express, a Subway restaurant, a family fun center, beer and wine sales, an expanded organic foods section, a one-hour photo lab, a vision center, a pharmacy with two drive-up lanes, a SmartStyle hair salon and a Da Vi Nails salon. The store also has a Wal-Mart Sports Shop and a Wal-Mart Connect Center for wireless phone sales.
A Helping Hand
The new Triadelphia Wal-Mart Supercenter will announce an initial $35,500 in donations to nearly 30 area schools as well as other local organizations. Three of the larger $5,000 grants will be presented to the City of Wheeling, the Ohio County Sheriff’s Office and the Town of Triadelphia. Triadelphia organizations can contact their local Wal-Mart stores to inquire about grants, matching grants and opportunities to raise dollars outside store locations throughout the year.
Grand Opening Ceremony Details
The store welcomes the community to attend its celebration at 7:30 a.m. on Nov. 8. Wal-Mart associates will perform the national anthem and officials from the Wheeling Area Chamber of Commerce will cut the ribbon to officially open the new Supercenter. Numerous product samples and giveaways will be distributed throughout the day.
450 Planned New Jobs
The store plans to employ approximately 450 associates, most of which will be full-time. Thirty of the Triadelphia store’s associates have worked for Wal-Mart for more than 10 years, added D’Aurora. The national average wage at Wal-Mart for full-time hourly associates is approximately $10.11 per hour.*
D’Aurora began his career with Wal-Mart as a co-manager in his hometown 30 miles north of Triadelphia. He then traveled 10 years with Wal-Mart and is happy to “finally be back home.” He was most recently a store manager in Cambridge, Ohio.
About Wal-Mart Stores Inc.
Every day, more than 176 million customers visit Wal-Mart Stores, Supercenters, Neighborhood Markets, Sam’s Clubs or a subsidiary location in 15 countries around the world. In each of the countries where Wal-Mart operates, the company and its Foundation are committed to a philosophy of operating globally and giving back locally. Wal-Mart is proud to support the causes that are important to customers and associates right in their own neighborhoods, and last year gave more than $245 million to these local communities. To learn more, visit
www.walmartfacts.com,
www.walmart.com or
www.walmartfoundation.org.
Wal-Mart Economic Impact in West Virginia
As of September 2006, Wal-Mart employed 11,817 associates and owned and operated the following facilities in the state of West Virginia:
- Supercenters: 27
- Discount Stores: 5
- Sam’s Clubs: 4
In the fiscal year ended 2006, Wal-Mart collected on behalf of the state of West Virginia more than $119.5 million in sales taxes and paid more than $22.2 million in state and local taxes. EDITOR’S NOTE: See www.walmartfacts.com for more information about Wal-Mart in West Virginia.
EDITOR’S NOTES
- An invitation-only open house for VIPs, Wal-Mart associates and their families is scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 7, at 6:30 p.m. Preview tours will be provided. Checks will be presented to representatives of the community organizations this evening and at the grand opening event. Reporters and photographers are welcome.
- Dominick D’Aurora, 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 (304) 547-1726.
* Average wage taken yearly (December 2005). See www.walmartfacts.com for more details.
FACT SHEET
Triadelphia Wal-Mart Supercenter
Store fast facts
- Location: 450 Stewart Lane, Triadelphia, W.Va.
- 208,000-square-foot Wal-Mart Supercenter
- Store opening 8 a.m., Wednesday, Nov. 8; 7:30 a.m. grand opening ceremony
- Store manager: Dominick D’Aurora
Store features
- Full line of groceries, bakery goods, deli foods, frozen foods, meat and dairy products, fresh produce, apparel and accessories, fine jewelry, lawn and garden center, health and beauty aids, full line of electronics, Tire & Lube Express, vision center, Subway restaurant, one-hour photo lab, family fun center, pharmacy with two drive-up lanes, SmartStyle hair salon, Da Vi Nails salon, expanded organics food section, beer and wine sales, Wal-Mart Sports Shop, Wal-Mart Connect Center
- Open 24 hours a day, seven days a week
- 17 full-service, six express and four self check-out lanes
Employment
- 450 planned new jobs
- Majority of jobs are full-time.
- The national average wage at Wal-Mart for full-time hourly associates is approximately $10.11 per hour.*
- Approximately 76 percent of Wal-Mart store managers started as hourly associates.
- Wal-Mart benefits – available to full- and part-time associates – include healthcare insurance with no lifetime maximum. 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
$35,500 in charitable contributions to several area organizations
- Boatsie’s Boxes to Baghdad
- City of Triadelphia Fire Department
- City of Wheeling
- Ohio County School District (27 area schools will each receive $500)
- Ohio County Sheriff’s Office
- Salvation Army
- Telecompioneers
- The Soup Kitchen of Greater Wheeling
- Town of Triadelphia
For more information
- Store manager: Dominick D’Aurora, (304) 547-1726
- Wal-Mart information online: www.walmartfacts.com; merchandise sales: www.walmart.com