Community of Gladstone Welcomes Newly Expanded Walmart

 Newly expanded Walmart provides 100 new jobs, $10,000 in local grants

GLADSTONE, Mo., Oct. 1, 2010 – A newly expanded Walmart opens this month in Gladstone, bringing approximately 100 planned new jobs, 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 newly expanded Walmart, located at 7207 North M-1 Highway, will officially open at 7:30 a.m., Wednesday, Oct. 6.

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 Gladstone Walmart.

The newly expanded 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 Michael Robertson. “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.

Approximately 100 new jobs were created as a result of the expansion. More than 20 of the store’s associates have worked for Walmart since the stores original opening on Oct. 3, 1987.

As part of Walmart’s commitment to the communities in which it operates, $10,000 in grants from the Walmart Foundation will be presented during the grand-opening celebration. The following organizations will each receive funds to support programs that serve the community: Liberty Public School Assistance Program, Winnetonka High School, WDAF-TV Love Fund for Children Inc., Northland Neighborhood Association, Friends of Boy Scout Troop 900, Gladstone Elementary, City of Gladstone Department of Public Safety, Operation Small Fry Inc., Northland Christmas Store, Inc., Gladstone Economic Betterment Council, and James Elementary School of Kansas City, Mo.

The Gladstone 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.

Mayor Les Smith will join Robertson and Walmart associates at 7:30 a.m. Wednesday, for a brief ribbon-cutting ceremony. Local singer and store associate, Marcia Ritenour, will perform the national anthem, as members of a local color guard group posts the colors. Additionally, associuate Jeremy Leithoff will lead the invocation.

"We are very pleased with the newly expanded Walmart in Gladstone," said Chamber President Amy Harlin. "The investment in this store, especially during these tough economic times, offers our community additional resources and employment opportunities. We are delighted with the 100 new jobs provided and, just as importantly, with the renewed economic vitality that Walmart's renovation will bring. Gladstone will also benefit greatly from the company's charitable contributions to our service organizations," she continued.

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT), or “Walmart,” serves customers and members more than 200 million times per week at more than 8,600 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 2010 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: 7207 North M-1 Highway
• Expanded to 200,800-square-foot Walmart, from the original 151,742 square feet
• Store opens Wednesday, Oct. 6, with a 7:30 a.m. ribbon-cutting ceremony
• Store manager: Michael Robertson
• 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, fresh produce and a full liquor department
• More than 30 merchandise departments such as apparel and accessories, a drive-through 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 to the following area organizations:

• Liberty Public School Assistance Program
• Winnetonka High School
• WDAF-TV Love Fund for Children Inc.
• Northland Neighborhood Association
• Friends of Boy Scout Troop 900
• Gladstone Elementary
• City of Gladstone Department of Public Safety
• Operation Small Fry Inc.
• Northland Christmas Store, Inc.
• Gladstone Economic Betterment Council
• James Elementary School of Kansas City, Mo.

• Store plans to employ approximately 100 new associates.
• The average wage at Walmart for full-time hourly associates in Missouri is approximately $7.50 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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