Walmart Brings Savings on Fresh Produce to Sequim

Expanded store adds full line of groceries and 85 new jobs

SEQUIM, Wash., March 22, 2012 – The wait is over for residents in Sequim eager to see their Walmart at 1284 W. Washington St. bring savings to local shoppers on a full line of groceries and a wide assortment of new products and services. The expanded Walmart is designed to make shopping easy for customers. The store will open to customers Wednesday, March 28, after an 8 a.m. ribbon-cutting ceremony.

The store originally opened in 2004 in Sequim. The expansion has increased the store’s size by more than 31,000 square feet, including a full line of fresh produce, meats, bakery and an expanded electronics department.

“We have a loyal customer base and some have been shopping here since our original opening,” said store manager Lee Ruiz. “We think they’ll love the easy-to-shop layout of the expanded Walmart and appreciate the savings we offer on the products they are looking for.”

In recent months, Walmart has taken major steps to refresh its stores, merchandise and customer experience. The improvements have all come together in the company’s newest stores, such as the Sequim store, with faster service, a friendlier shopping experience and cleaner stores.

“The layout of the store is easy to navigate, which will save our customers time as they shop for everyday necessities at our unbeatable prices,” said Ruiz. “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.”

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.

The store plans to employ approximately 250 associates, including approximately 85 positions created by the expansion. “Joining Walmart was a great career decision for me, as it has been for so many of my fellow associates,” Ruiz said. “I am proud to work for this company where there are unlimited opportunities and bring those opportunities to our community and neighbors.”

The Sequim store, 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 throughout 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 Sequim Walmart provided a $20,000 donation for a 1,150-foot-long paved sidewalk. The sidewalk officially opened in January, creating a safer pathway for the seniors living at the Vintage at Sequim apartments to cross Priest Road.

Community and business leaders will join Walmart associates at 8 a.m., Wednesday, March 28, for a brief ribbon-cutting ceremony. Sequim High School Choir member Ayla Iliff will sing the national anthem. The Veterans of Foreign Wars will present the colors.

About Walmart
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT) serves customers and members more than 200 million times per week at over 10,000 retail units under 69 different banners in 27 countries. With fiscal year 2012 sales of approximately $444 billion, Walmart employs 2.2 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 Facebook at http://facebook.com/walmart and on Twitter at http://twitter.com/walmart. Online merchandise sales are available at http://www.walmart.com and http://www.samsclub.com.

• Location: 1284 W. Washington St., Sequim, Wash.
• 145,095-square-foot Walmart, gaining an additional 31,610 square feet
• Store opens at 8 a.m. Wednesday, March 28, following a brief ribbon-cutting ceremony
• Store manager: Lee Ruiz
• Open 24 hours a day, seven days a week

• Full line of groceries, bakery goods, deli foods, frozen foods, meat and dairy products, and fresh produce
• More than 30 merchandise departments such as apparel and accessories, fine jewelry, a lawn and garden center with drive-thru loading area, health and beauty aids, and an expanded electronics department
• Convenience services include a pharmacy, vision center, digital photo processing center and Walmart Connect Center
• Leased areas and services include a SmartStyle Family Hair Care salon

• Store plans to employ approximately 250 associates, including approximately 85 positions created by the expansion.
• The average wage at Walmart for full-time hourly associates in Washington is approximately $12.87 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, an Associate Stock Purchase Program and company-paid life insurance. Additionally, eligible associates receive a quarterly incentive based on store performance.

* Average wage taken January 2012. See www.walmartstores.com for details.

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