Hilton Head Walmart Improves Shopping Experience with Expansion

Expanded store features full line of groceries, new layout

HILTON HEAD, S.C., June 4, 2012 – The wait is over for residents and tourists in Hilton Head eager to see their Walmart at 25 Pembroke Drive bring savings on a full line of groceries and a wide assortment of new products and services. The store will unveil the new expansion to customers at 7:30 a.m., Wednesday, June 13, after a brief ribbon-cutting ceremony.

“We have a loyal customer base and some have been shopping here since our original opening,” said store manager Dan Gaddy. “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.”

“Walmart’s expansion in Hilton Head furthers a partnership that benefits both the town and our local shoppers,” said Hilton Head Mayor Drew Laughlin. “The additional selection and low prices are important in these tough economic times, and the new jobs created are a welcome addition to the area.”

The Hilton Head Walmart features a new layout and updated design. 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 with faster service, a friendlier shopping experience and cleaner stores.

“The layout of the store is easy to navigate, which will save customers time as they shop for everyday necessities at our unbeatable prices,” said Gaddy. “By grouping the products that our customers most often purchase, we are making one-stop shopping even easier.”

The new layout creates an open shopping environment with wider aisles. Lower shelving throughout the store creates an improved sightline, and directional signage on every aisle helps customers find what they are looking for quickly.

The store plans to employ approximately 300 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,” Gaddy said. “I am proud to work for this company where there are unlimited opportunities and to bring those opportunities to our community and neighbors.”

The Hilton Head store, like all new Walmart stores, includes energy-efficient technology and environmentally friendly features to reduce energy and water consumption and minimize waste. LED lighting throughout the store, as well as in the parking lot, operates 70 percent more efficiently than traditional fluorescent lighting. Low-flow toilets and faucets reduce the water used in the bathrooms.

The store is continuing its support of the community by giving grants from Walmart and the Walmart Foundation to local organizations.

About Walmart
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT) serves customers and members more than 200 million times per week at over 10,130 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: 25 Pembroke Drive, Hilton Head, S.C.
• 148,422 square-foot Walmart
• Store opens Wednesday, June 13, following a brief ribbon-cutting ceremony at 7:30 a.m.
• Store manager: Dan Gaddy
• Open seven days a week, from 6 a.m.–11 p.m.

• Full line of groceries, including a bakery, a deli serving fresh food and meal solutions for moms, meat and dairy products, fresh produce, and a full liquor department including chilled beer and an expanded wine selection
• 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, digital photo processing center and Walmart Connect Center
• Leased areas and services include a Blimpie restaurant and a souvenir shop

• Grants from Walmart and the Walmart Foundation will be distributed to local organizations

• Store plans to employ approximately 300 associates, including approximately 85 positions added by the expansion.
• The average wage at Walmart for full-time hourly associates in South Carolina is approximately $12.50 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 April 2012. See www.walmartstores.com for details.

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