Walmart Ready to Reveal Expanded Store to Hermantown Shoppers

Store adds 85 jobs, grocery, deli, bakery and wider selection of merchandise

HERMANTOWN, Minn., Sept. 1, 2011 – The newly expanded Hermantown Walmart, located at 4740 Mall Drive, will celebrate its grand opening this month, adding 85 jobs while giving local shoppers a glimpse of the company’s next generation of store design and customer experience. Local dignitaries will join store manager Chad Leppi and store associates to celebrate the expansion and renovations during a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 7:30 a.m., Wednesday, Sept. 14.

Walmart added 67,000 square feet to the building and fully renovated the store with a new layout, wider aisles, low-profile shelving, bright interior paint scheme, enhanced lighting and easy-to-read signage to make the shopping experience more convenient for customers. It now features a full line of groceries as well as a bakery, a delicatessen, a frozen food section, and meat, dairy and fresh produce sections. Time-saving services and an expanded merchandise selection add to the store’s one-stop shopping convenience.

“We have a loyal customer base, and some have been shopping here since our original opening in 1992,” said Leppi. “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 enthusiastic about Walmart’s expansion and its continuing commitment to Hermantown. “We celebrate the expansion of the Hermantown Walmart and its impact in our community as the number one employer, “ said Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Mike Lundstrom. “We are appreciative of the revenue this organization brings to our community in sales and property taxes. The store will serve this region as a destination of choice, and its beautiful architectural design adds to our area business landscape,” said Lundstrom.

The store plans to employ approximately 300 associates, including approximately 85 positions created by the expansion.

“I’m happy to be a part of this expansion, as we now have the opportunity to provide additional jobs and career opportunities to the community,” Leppi said. He started his career with Walmart in 1992 as an hourly associate, working as a stockman in this store. He is one of 76 of the Hermantown store’s associates who have worked for Walmart for more than 10 years. Nineteen associates have worked at the store since its original opening in 1992.

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

The 182,000-square-foot 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 pharmacy, for example, is adjacent to food making it easier for customers to pick up their prescriptions while shopping for their groceries. A drive-thru lane has also been added for customers to pick up their prescriptions. Four self-checkout stations have been added for the customer’s easy shopping.

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.

“The layout of the store is easy to navigate, which will save our customers time as they shop for everyday necessities,” said Leppi. “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. Directional signage on every aisle helps customers find what they are looking for quickly.

The newly expanded Hermantown Walmart, like all new Walmart stores, includes energy-efficient technology and environmentally friendly features to reduce energy and water consumption and minimize waste.

LED lighting in the store operates 70 percent more efficiently than traditional fluorescent lighting. Low-flow toilets and faucets reduce the water used in the bathrooms. The store also operates a recycling program.

In recognition of the grand opening, the store is also continuing its support of the community by giving $10,000 in grants from the Walmart Foundation to local organizations. The grant recipients include the Hermantown Fire Department, Hermantown School District, Boy Scouts of America, Hermantown 2nd Harvest Food Bank and Woodland Hills.

The grand-opening celebration is scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 14, at 7:30 a.m. Charter associates who are associates who have been with the store since it opened in 1992 will cut the ribbon. Hermantown Mayor Wayne Boucher and Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Mike Lundstrom will also attend the ceremony.

About Walmart
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT) serves customers and members more than 200 million times per week at over 9,600 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:4740 Mall Drive, Hermantown, Minn.
• 182,000-square-foot Walmart, gaining an additional 67,500 square feet
• Ribbon cutting ceremony Wednesday, Sept. 14 at 7:30 a.m.
• Store manager: Chad Leppi
• Open 24 hours, seven days a week

• Full line of groceries, including a bakery, a deli serving fresh food and meal solutions for busy people on-the-go, meat and dairy products, and fresh produce
• 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 with drive-thru service and a digital photo processing center
• Leased areas and services include a Subway restaurant and Cost Cutter Hair Salon.

$10,000 from the Walmart Foundation will be presented to the following organizations

• Hermantown Fire Department
• Hermantown School Distrtict
• Boy Scouts of America
• Hermantown 2nd Harvest Food Bank
• Woodland Hills

• Store plans to employ approximately 300 associates, including 85 positions created by the expansion
• The average wage at Walmart for full-time hourly associates in Minnesota is approximately $12.20 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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