Walmart Brings Savings and Convenience to Cornelius

New Walmart provides 300 jobs

CORNELIUS, Ore., Aug. 9, 2010 – A new Walmart opens this month in Cornelius, bringing 300 new jobs, savings for local shoppers, 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 Cornelius Walmart, located at 220 N. Adair St., will be open to customers at 7:30 a.m., Wednesday, Aug.18.

The new Cornelius store will employ approximately 300 associates, according to store manager Colt Benson.

“Our residents appreciate the jobs and benefits Walmart will provide during these tough economic times,” stated Bill Bash, mayor of Cornelius. “Walmart is providing a wonderful shopping experience and also becoming a partner in the Cornelius community.”

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 Cornelius Walmart, with fast service, a friendly shopping experience and clean stores.

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 Benson. “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.

As part of Walmart’s commitment to the communities in which it operates, $24,000 in grants from the Walmart Foundation will be presented during the grand-opening celebration. The following organizations will each receive $5,000 to support programs that serve the community: Friends of the Cornelius Library and the Oregon Food Bank. CAST for Kids will receive $2,000. Forest Grove School District, Cornelius Elementary, Community Action, Cornelius National Night Out, Cornelius Boosters Foundation, Education Foundation of Forest Grove, SOLV, and the Hillsboro Senior Center will each receive $1,000. Cornelius Fire Department, Cornelius Police Department, Hillsboro High School Cheer, Tualatin Valley Harmony Masters, Chelsea Hicks Foundation, B.E.A.T. Riding Center, Girl Scouts of America Troop #40260, and Boy Scouts Troop #873 will also receive $500.

Walmart and the Walmart Foundation have committed $2 billion to U.S. hunger relief efforts through 2015. The Fighting Hunger Together campaign will also engage Walmart customers and associates in the fight against hunger. More information can be found at walmart.com/fightinghunger.com.

The Cornelius 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. The cement used in the concrete flooring is made with recycled materials, and the floor’s finish reduces the need for chemical cleaners. 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 a.m. Wednesday for a brief ribbon-cutting ceremony. Sunset Highway Barbershop Quartet will sing the national anthem, and veterans will present the colors. Store manager Colt Benson and Cornelius Mayor Bill Bash will cut the ribbon to the new store.

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 2.0 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.

• Location: 220 N. Adair St., Cornelius, Ore.
• 152,000-square-foot Walmart
• Store opens at 7:30 a.m., Wednesday, Aug.18, following a 7 a.m. ribbon-cutting ceremony
• Store manager: Colt Benson
• 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, Vision Center, and a digital photo processing center.

$24,000 in grants from the Walmart Foundation to the following area organizations

• Cornelius Public Library
• Oregon Food Bank
• CAST for Kids
• Forest Grove School District
• Community Action
• Cornelius National Night Out Event
• Cornelius Boosters Foundation
• Education Foundation of Forest Grove
• SOLV
• Hillsboro Senior Center
• Cornelius Elementary School
• Cornelius Fire Department
• Hillsboro High School Cheer
• Cornelius Police Department
• Tualatin Valley Harmony Masters
• Chelsea Hicks Foundation
• B.E.A.T. Riding Center
• Girl Scouts of America Troop #40260
• Boy Scouts of America Troop #873

• Store plans to employ approximately 300 associates
• The average wage at Walmart for full-time hourly associates in Oregon is approximately $12.48 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 July 2010. See www.walmartstores.com for details.

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