Walmart Ready to Reveal New Store to Bennettsville Shoppers

New Walmart provides 200 jobs, plus savings on wide selection of merchandise

BENNETTSVILLE, S.C., Aug. 1, 2012 – A new Walmart opens this month in Bennettsville, bringing 200 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 1250 Bennettsville Square Highway 9 W., will open to customers at 8 a.m., Wednesday, Aug. 15.

“In addition to being a great place to shop, the new Walmart in Bennettsville will provide a significant benefit to the city in terms of new jobs, tax and utility revenue,” said Bennettsville city administrator Max Alderman. “We look forward to a continuing good relationship and experience with Walmart and the other new neighboring businesses.”

The new Bennettsville Walmart will employ approximately 200 associates, according to store manager Raeford Carr Jr. Two of the store’s associates have worked for Walmart for more than 20 years. Carr is a Magnolia, N.C., native who began his Walmart career in 2004 at a store in Goosecreek, S.C.

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

The new Walmart features wide aisles, 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 Carr. “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. 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.

As part of Walmart’s commitment to the communities in which it operates, grants from Walmart and the Walmart Foundation will be presented during the grand-opening celebration.

The Bennettsville 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 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, Aug. 15, for a brief ribbon-cutting ceremony. Singer Melvin Banks will perform the national anthem, and members of Marlboro County High School Color Guard will present the colors. Carr and other associates 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 more than 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: 1250 Bennettsville Square Highway 9 W., Bennettsville, S.C.
• 99,578-square-foot Walmart
• Store opens at 8 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 15, following a 7:30 a.m. ribbon-cutting ceremony
• Store manager: Raeford Carr Jr.
• Open 24 hours, seven days a week

• Full line of groceries, including a self-service bakery and deli, 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, digital photo processing center and Walmart Connect Center

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

• Store plans to employ approximately 200 associates
• 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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