Renovated store now offers a glimpse into the next generation of shopping
NEW CASTLE, Ind., Aug. 23, 2010 – The New Castle Walmart, located at 3167 S. State Road, will celebrate a grand re-opening this week, giving local shoppers a glimpse of the company’s next generation of store design and customer experience. The results of a three-month remodeling project will be unveiled at the New Castle Walmart at 8 a.m., Friday, Aug. 27. Among the many improvements are a new layout, low-profile shelving, bright interior paint scheme, enhanced lighting and easy-to-read signage to make the shopping experience more convenient for customers.
According to New Castle Mayor Jim Small, the Walmart remodel is an example of community partnership. “Today we celebrate with Walmart for their continued investment in our community,” said Small. “We also applaud their generosity in providing many grants and donations to organizations throughout our community,” added Small.
New Layout Improves Customer Experience
All areas of the New Castle store have been enhanced, including a new earth-toned exterior adorned with a blue spark Walmart logo. Inside customers will be greeted with a bright interior paint scheme and enhanced lighting that creates a more inviting shopping experience and help define the store’s merchandise areas. The remodeled New Castle Walmart store aligned the store departments that customers shop most frequently, making it quicker to purchase everyday items, including moving the pet department next to the grocery department.
“We listened to our customers and have redesigned the store to make shopping at Walmart even easier,” said store manager Lance Mason.
Low-profile shelving creates an improved sightline and directional signage helps customers find the products they need.
Among the changes, Walmart upgraded the store interior with new fixtures and product displays. The store added eight new self-checkout registers with touch screens for faster checkout and moved the Site-to-Store pick-up to the back of the store. Customers will also appreciate the new seasonal displays that feature everything customers need in one-stop shopping for the fall season as well as the remodeled pharmacy with its new customer-friendly, open accessible design.
Expanded Departments Add Value and Savings
The remodel brings Walmart customers an expanded electronics department featuring a wide selection of the latest consumer electronics and home entertainment. The new design includes a more hands-on experience for customers with interactive displays for hi-definition Blu-ray, video gaming and portable electronics. The interactive experience enables shoppers to test new technology.
The store added shelf space in the grocery department and now offers expanded gluten free and organic selections. The new digital photo department located in the back of the store now offers customers added options including posters and calendars.
A new department called Celebration Station has been added and will feature party supplies, greeting cards, balloons and helium tanks, cake supplies and gift wrap.
Grand Re-opening Activities Include Support for Local Organizations
The grand re-opening celebration is scheduled for Friday, Aug. 27, and will begin with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 8 a.m. Local dignitaries, including the New Castle Mayor, will assist Mason and store associates in cutting the ribbon to the newly remodeled store. During the ceremony, the New Castle High School Marching Band will perform and Ayla Mason, Mason’s daughter, will perform the national anthem. Other festivities include vendor samples and giveaways.
The Walmart Foundation has 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.
Commitment to the Environment
The store is also committed to being a good environmental steward. Part of the cement used in the store’s concrete flooring is made with recycled materials, and the baseboards are manufactured from 100 percent recycled plastic. The photo department also uses green technology, operating completely without liquid chemicals for photo processing. The store also has improved its recycling efforts with a new recycling program which features a sandwich bale process that takes all loose plastic, hangers, aluminum cans and office paper, sandwiches them between cardboard, bundles them into bales and sends them to recycling centers. In addition, the store will be composting all organic products.
About Walmart
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.
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