Walmart Brings One-Stop Shopping to Many

Relocated store offers full line of groceries, adds 175 new jobs

MANY, La., Nov. 2, 2010 – A new Walmart opens this month in Many, bringing approximately 175 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 Walmart, located at 5800 Highway 171, will be open to customers at 8 a.m., Wednesday, Nov. 10, after a brief ribbon-cutting ceremony at 7:30 a.m.

“We have a loyal customer base, and some have been shopping here since our original opening in 1986,” said store manager Phil Medine. “We think they’ll love the new, easy-to-shop layout of the store and appreciate the savings we offer on the products they need.”

Local leaders are excited about the new store. Mayor Kenneth Freeman said, “The people of Many are excited about the opening of a larger Walmart in our community. We are always excited when good corporate neighbors expand in our community and certainly Walmart has been a good corporate neighbor over the years they’ve been in the town of Many. We look forward to a continued positive and productive relationship for all concerned.”

The store plans to employ approximately 300 associates, including approximately 175 positions created by the relocation.

“I’m happy to be a part of this relocation, as we now have the opportunity to provide additional jobs and career opportunities to the community,” Medine said. He started his career with Walmart in 1983 as an hourly associate, stocking shelves at a store in Gonzales. He is one of 15 Many store associates who have worked for Walmart for more than 10 years. Six associates have worked at the store since its original opening in 1986.

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 Many Walmart, with faster service, a friendlier shopping experience and cleaner stores.

The 150,000-square-foot store is designed as a convenient one-stop family shopping center, featuring a full line of groceries as well as a bakery, delicatessen, frozen food section, and meat, dairy and fresh produce sections. Merchandise areas include apparel and accessories, sporting goods, electronics, home, fine jewelry, and health and beauty.

The new Walmart features 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 layout of the store is easy to navigate, which will save our customers time as they shop for everyday necessities,” said Medine. “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, $4,000 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: Florien Schools, Negreet High School, Many Youth Baseball and Softball, Project Celebration and the Sabine Parish Humane Society.

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 Many 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, Nov. 10 for a brief ribbon-cutting ceremony. Mayor Freeman and other community representatives from the Fairfield Chamber of Commerce are scheduled to attend. Additional grand-opening activities planned throughout the day include product samples, giveaways and character appearances.

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: 25800 Highway 171, Many, La.
• Originally opened in 1986 at 155 San Antonio
• 150,000-square-foot Walmart, gaining an additional 100,000 square feet
• Store opens at 8 a.m., Wednesday, Nov. 10, following a 7:30 a.m. ribbon-cutting ceremony
• Store manager: Phil Medine
• Open 6 a.m. to 11 p.m., 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, 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, vision center and digital photo processing center
• Leased areas and services include a SmartStyle Family Hair Salon and a Subway restaurant

$4,000 in grants from the Walmart Foundation to the following area organizations:

• Florien Schools
• Many Youth Baseball and Softball
• Negreet High School
• Project Celebration
• Sabine Parish Humane Society

• Store plans to employ approximately 300 associates, including approximately 175 new positions created by the relocation.
• Approximately 15 associates have worked for Walmart for more than 10 years.
• Six associates have worked at the store since it originally opened in 1986.
• Store manager Phil Medine started his career with Walmart as an hourly associate in 1983, working as a stockman at a store in Gonzales.
• The average wage at Walmart for full-time hourly associates in Louisiana is approximately $12.54 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 September 2010. See www.walmartstores.com for details.

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