Community of Salinas Welcomes New Walmart

Newly relocated Walmart offers full line of groceries, distributes grants to local organizations

SALINAS, Calif., JUNE 29, 2010 – A new Walmart opens next week in Salinas, bringing savings on a full line of groceries and an increase in tax revenue to support the area’s economy. Nonprofit organizations will also benefit from the retailer’s ongoing charitable contributions and support for community projects. The Walmart, located 1800 N. Main St., will be open to customers at 8 a.m., Wednesday, July 7.

“The opening of the new Walmart in Harden Ranch is a sign of renewal in many ways for Salinas,” said Mayor Dennis Donohue. “Our community has demonstrated that they desire and support Walmart's products, services, jobs and investments here. We are encouraged by the impending opening and look forward to continuing to facilitate economic growth and recovery for Salinas."

In recent months, Walmart has taken major steps to refresh its stores, merchandising and customer experience. The improvements have all come together in the company’s newest stores, such as the Salinas Walmart.

The new Walmart features wide aisles, enhanced service and a layout designed to make the shopping experience more convenient for customers. Walmart aligned the departments that customers shop most frequently. The pharmacy, for example, is adjacent to food making it easier for customers to pick up their prescriptions while shopping for their groceries.

“The layout of the store is easy to navigate, which will save our customers time as they shop for everyday necessities,” said store manager Gilbert Mendez. “By grouping the products that our customers most often purchase including health and beauty and pet supplies, we are making one-stop shopping even easier.”

A bright interior color palette creates an inviting shopping experience and helps define the store’s merchandise areas. Lower shelving creates an improved sightline and directional signage on every aisle helps customers find what they are looking for quickly. Walmart also combined the customer service desk, Site-to-Store pick-up location and photo lab in one area near the entrance. Customers now have easy access to these services, as well as associates on hand to help meet their needs.

Sixteen of the store’s associates have worked at the store since its original opening in 1997.

As part of Walmart’s commitment to the communities in which it operates, $10,000 in grants from the Walmart Foundation will be presented in honor of the grand-opening celebration. To date, the following organizations have each received funds to support programs that serve the community: Central Coast YMCA, Foundation for Monterey County Library, Future Citizens Foundation – The First Tee of Monterey County, and Monterey County Police Activities. Additional grants will be announced at the grand-opening ceremony.

The Salinas Walmart, like all new Walmart stores, includes energy-efficient technology and environmentally friendly features to reduce energy and water consumption and minimize waste. The store’s skylights harvest daylight and reduce the amount of energy required to light the store by up to 75 percent daily. LED lighting in the store operates 70 percent more efficiently than traditional fluorescent lighting.

Low-flow toilets and faucets reduce the water used in the bathrooms. The new store also operates a recycling program and will promote sustainable product purchases.

Community and business leaders will join Walmart associates at 7:30 a.m. Wednesday for a brief ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT), or “Walmart,” serves customers and members more than 200 million times per week at more than 8,400 retail units under 55 different banners in 15 countries. With fiscal year 2010 sales of $405 billion, Walmart employs more than 2 million associates worldwide. A leader in sustainability, corporate philanthropy and employment opportunity, Walmart ranked first among retailers in Fortune Magazine’s 2009 Most Admired Companies survey. Additional information about Walmart can be found by visiting www.walmartstores.com and on Twitter at http://Twitter.com/walmart. Online merchandise sales are available at www.walmart.com and www.samsclub.com.

EDITOR’S NOTES

• An invitation-only open house for grant recipients and other VIPs is scheduled at 5:30 p.m., Tuesday, July 6. It will include preview tours and check presentations to representatives of community organizations. Reporters and photographers are welcome.
• Store manager Gilbert Mendez is available for interviews and to arrange photo opportunities or tours. He can be reached at 831-444-7208.
• Walmart PR and Brand Reputation: 800-331-0085.
• Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. is the legal trade name of the corporation. The name "Walmart," expressed as one word and without punctuation, is a trademark of the company and is used analogously to describe the company and its stores. Use the trade name when it is necessary to identify the legal entity, such as when reporting financial results, litigation or corporate governance.

• Location: 1800 N. Main St., Salinas, Calif.
• Formerly located at 1375 N. Davis Road
• 102,000-square-foot Walmart
• Store opens at 8 a.m., Wednesday, July 7, following a 7:30 a.m. ribbon-cutting ceremony
• Store manager: Gilbert Mendez
• Open 24 hours a day, seven days a week

• Full line of groceries including a bakery, a deli serving fresh food and meal solutions for moms, meat and dairy products, and fresh produce
• More than 30 merchandise departments such as apparel and accessories, a lawn and garden center, health and beauty aids, and an expanded electronics department
• Convenience services include a pharmacy, digital photo processing center and Walmart Connect Center

• $10,000 in grants from the Walmart Foundation, of which $4,000 has been allocated to the following area organizations
  • Central Coast YMCA
  • Foundation for Monterey County Library
  • Future Citizens Foundation– The First Tee of Monterey County
  • Monterey County Police Activities

• Store plans to employ approximately 300 associates
• The average wage at Walmart for full-time hourly associates in Illinois is approximately $12.18 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 April 2010. See www.walmartstores.com for details.

• Store manager: Gilbert Mendez, 831-444-7208
• Walmart PR and Brand Reputation: 800-331-0085
• Walmart information online: www.walmartstores.com; merchandise sales: www.walmart.com
• Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. is the legal trade name of the corporation. The name "Walmart," expressed as one word and without punctuation, is a trademark of the company and is used analogously to describe the company and its stores. Use the trade name when it is necessary to identify the legal entity, such as when reporting financial results, litigation or corporate governance.

# # #