Fairfield Walmart Welcomes Customers to New Store

Relocated Walmart provides 70 new jobs, plus savings on wide selection of merchandise

FAIRFIELD, Iowa, May 1, 2012 – A new Walmart opens this month in Fairfield, bringing 70 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 Fairfield Walmart, located at 2701 W. Burlington Ave., will be open to customers at 8 a.m., Wednesday, May 9.

Fairfield Economic Development Association President Lori Schaefer-Weaton appreciates Walmart’s commitment to the community. “Walmart’s investment in a new Supercenter on the west end of town will significantly upgrade Fairfield’s retail services. The seventy new jobs and increased tax revenue will certainly have a long lasting impact on our local economy,” she said.

The new Fairfield Walmart will employ approximately 160 total associates, according to store manager Kevin Mehaffy, including 70 new positions added by the relocation. Mehaffy began his Walmart career in 2002 as an assistant store manager at the West Burlington, Iowa store. Seven associates have worked for Walmart since the store originally opened 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 Fairfield Walmart, with fast service, and a layout designed to make the shopping experience more convenient for customers.

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

The pharmacy is now adjacent to health and beauty, making it easier for customers to pick up their prescriptions while shopping for their everyday needs, and offers the convenience of a drive-thru lane. The store now offers customers a complete grocery department, including a bakery, deli, dairy, frozen food, a meat department and fresh produce.

Customers will also appreciate the expanded electronics department featuring a wide selection of the latest consumer electronics and home entertainment. The new design includes a more hands-on experience for customers with interactive displays for hi-definition Blu-ray, video gaming and portable electronics. The interactive experience enables shoppers to test new technology. Walmart also combined the customer service desk and Site-to-Store pick-up location 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.

A new department called Celebration Station has been added and will feature party supplies, greeting cards, balloons, helium tanks, cake supplies and gift wrap.

As part of Walmart’s commitment to the communities in which it operates, $3,500 in grants from the Walmart Foundation will be presented during the ribbon-cutting ceremony. Organizations receiving grants during the grand opening all provide support to the Fairfield community. Recipients include Batavia Little League, Libertyville Little League, Jefferson County Public Health and 4-H Shooting Sports.

Like all new Walmart stores, the Fairfield Walmart 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, May 9, for a brief ribbon-cutting ceremony. Members of the Fairfield High School band will perform and the National Guard 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 more than 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: 2701 W. Burlington Ave., Fairfield, Iowa
• 94,000 square-foot Walmart
• Store opens at 8 a.m., Wednesday, May 9, following a 7:30 a.m. ribbon-cutting ceremony
• Store manager: Kevin Mehaffy
• Open 24 hours a day, seven days a week

• Full line of groceries, including a bakery, a deli with 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 drive-thru pharmacy, digital photo processing center and Walmart Connect Center

$3,500 grants from the Walmart Foundation will be presented to the following area organizations:

• Batavia Little League
• Libertyville Little League
• Jefferson County Public Health
• 4-H Shooting Sports

• Store plans to employ approximately 160 associates, including 70 positions created by the relocation
• The average wage at Walmart for full-time hourly associates in Iowa is approximately $12.04 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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