Marinette Welcomes New Walmart

 Newly relocated Walmart provides 85 new jobs, $5,250 in local grants

MARINETTE, Wis., Aug. 8, 2011 – A new Walmart opens this month in Marinette, bringing 85 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 2900 Roosevelt Road, will be open to customers following a 7:30 a.m. grand-opening ceremony Wednesday, Aug. 17.

“We have a loyal customer base and some have been shopping here since our original opening in 1998,” said store manager Howard Mayer. “We think they’ll love the new, easy-to-shop layout of the new store and appreciate the savings we will continue to offer on the products they need.”

The new Marinette Walmart will employ approximately 300 associates, including 85 new jobs created by the relocation, according to Mayer. Mayer began his Walmart career in 2001 as co-manager at a store in Cincinnati, Ohio. He has been manager of the Walmart store at 2700 Roosevelt Road for seven years.

In addition to Mayer, several associates at the Marinette Walmart have a long history with the store. Twenty-six associates have worked at the store since its original grand opening, and 57 associates have been with Walmart for more than 10 years.

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

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 Mayer. “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. Improved directional signage on every aisle helps customers find what they are looking for quickly. Walmart also combined the Site-to-Store pick-up location and photo lab in one area near the entrance, adjacent to the customer service desk. 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, $5,250 in grants from the Walmart Foundation will be presented in recognition of the grand opening. Grant recipients include American Legion Post 312, Cornerstone Assembly of God Church, Grover-Porterfield Fire Department, Habitat for Humanity, Marinette Police Department, Marinette County Sheriff’s Department, NEWCAP of Oconto County, Operation Caring Hearts, Peshtigo City Fire Department, Peshtigo Food Pantry, Peshtigo Volunteer Fire Department, Salvation Army and the YMCA.

The Marinette 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 approximately 160 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 that includes organic composting and will promote sustainable product purchases.

Community and business leaders will join Walmart associates at 7:30 a.m., Wednesday, Aug. 17, for a brief grand-opening ceremony. Marinette resident Tayler Lemieux will perform the national anthem, and representatives of American Legion Post 312 will present the colors. Mayer will cut the ribbon to the new store.

About Walmart
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT) serves customers and members more than 200 million times per week at over 9,200 retail units under 69 different banners in 28 countries. With fiscal year 2011 sales of $419 billion, Walmart employs 2.1 million associates worldwide. Walmart continues to be a leader in sustainability, corporate philanthropy and employment opportunity. Additional information about Walmart can be found by visiting http://walmartstores.com and on Twitter at http://twitter.com/walmart. Online merchandise sales are available at http://www.walmart.com and http://www.samsclub.com.

• Location: 2900 Roosevelt Road, Marinette, Wis.
• Former location: 2700 Roosevelt Road
• 184,000-square-foot Walmart, an addition of 89,000 square feet
• Store opens Wednesday, Aug. 17, following a 7:30 a.m. ribbon-cutting ceremony
• Store manager: Howard Mayer
• 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 beer and wine
• More than 30 merchandise departments such as apparel and accessories, a garden center, health and beauty aids, and an expanded electronics department
• Convenience services include a pharmacy with one drive-thru lane, digital photo processing center, Walmart Connect Center, Walmart MoneyCenter and a vision center
• Leased areas include a SmartStyle Family Hair Salon and a Subway restaurant

$5,250 in grants from the Walmart Foundation to the following area organizations

• American Legion Post 312
• Cornerstone Assembly of God Church
• Grover-Porterfield Fire Department
• Habitat for Humanity
• Marinette Police Department
• Marinette County Sheriff’s Department
• NEWCAP of Oconto County
• Operation Caring Hearts
• Peshtigo City Fire Department
• Peshtigo Food Pantry
• Peshtigo Volunteer Fire Department
• Salvation Army
• YMCA

• Store plans to employ approximately 300 employees, including 85 new jobs created by the relocation
• The average wage at Walmart for full-time hourly associates in Wisconsin is approximately $12.11 per hour*
• Walmart’s benefit program is available to eligible full- and part-time associates and provides a variety of affordable health and well-being benefits including medical insurance with no lifetime maximum. Walmart also offers matching 401(k) contributions of up to 6 percent of pay, discounts on general merchandise for store associates, a Sam’s Club membership for club associates, an Associate Stock Purchase Program and company-paid life insurance. Additionally, eligible associates receive an annual incentive based on the company performance.

* Average wage taken June 2011. See www.walmartstores.com for details.

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