Walmart Ready to Reveal New Store to South Strand Shoppers

New Walmart provides 400 jobs

GARDEN CITY, S.C., Oct. 1, 2010 – A new Walmart opens this month in Garden City, bringing 400 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 Walmart, located at 545 Garden City Connector, will be open to customers at 8 a.m., Wednesday, Oct. 13.

The new Garden City Walmart will employ approximately 400 associates, according to store manager Scott Brisson. Brisson began his Walmart career in 1998 at a store in Myrtle Beach.

“I’m proud to be involved in celebrating the grand opening of Horry County’s ninth Walmart store,” said Liz Gilland, chairwoman of the Horry County Council. “The fact that Walmart is a dedicated supporter of our community makes this truly a partnership that works both ways. The wide variety and low costs are attractive to everyone, especially in these tough economic times, and the new jobs were also a welcome addition to the local economy.”

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 Garden City 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 Brisson. “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, $15,000 in grants from the Walmart Foundation will be presented during the grand-opening celebration. South Strand Helping Hand will receive $5,000 to support programs that serve the community. The Coastal South Carolina Chapter of the American Red Cross, Horry County Police Department, Horry County School District, and Murrells Inlet Fire Department will each receive $2,500.

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.

The Garden City 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 7:30 a.m., Wednesday, Oct. 13, for a brief ribbon-cutting ceremony. The St. James High School band will perform, and the school’s color guard will present the colors. Brisson and other associates 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 8,600 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: 545 Garden City Connector, Garden City, S.C.
• 150,000-square-foot Walmart
• Store opens at 8 a.m., Wednesday, Oct. 13, following a 7:30 a.m. ribbon-cutting ceremony
• Store manager: Scott Brisson
• Open 24 hours, 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 beer and wine
• 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 lab, and a new Walmart Wireless store located in the front
• Leased areas and services include a SmartStyle Family Hair Salon, Regal Nails, a Subway restaurant, and a branch of First Federal Bank.

$15,000 in grants from the Walmart Foundation to the following area organizations

• Coastal South Carolina Chapter – American Red Cross
• Horry County Police Department
• Horry County School District
• Murrells Inlet Fire Department
• South Strand Helping Hand

• Store plans to employ approximately 400 associates
• The average wage at Walmart for full-time hourly associates in South Carolina is approximately $12.00 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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