New Walmart provides approximately 200 jobs, plus savings on wide selection of merchandise
OXNARD, Calif., Jan. 9, 2013 – Residents of Oxnard are invited to the debut of the newest Walmart store to open on the south side of the city. The store, located at 2701 Saviers Road in Centerpoint Mall in a former Mervyns location, opens Wednesday, Jan. 23. A grand-opening ceremony is scheduled for 7:30 a.m., and the store will open to the public immediately following the event. It will be open 6 a.m. until 11 p.m. daily.
The new store brings 200 new jobs to Ventura County and more opportunities for savings for customers. The approximately 77,000-square-foot Oxnard Walmart store is one of two opening in Ventura County on Jan. 23, the other being in Simi Valley. In November, Walmart opened its first Walmart Neighborhood Market in Oxnard.
“We are thrilled to be able to open this Walmart store to meet the needs of customers in the southern part of Oxnard,” said store manager Panthi Patel. “Our customers work hard in many fields including farming, fishing and the military, and they rely on quality merchandise and low prices to meet their families’ needs. We look forward to meeting their needs right in their own neighborhood.”
Ribbon-Cutting Celebration at 7:30 a.m., Wednesday, Jan. 23
Community and business leaders will join Walmart associates at 7:30 a.m., Wednesday, Jan. 23, for a brief ribbon-cutting ceremony. Oxnard resident William Tejada will perform the national anthem, and representatives of the Oxnard Chamber of Commerce will attend the ceremony. Patel and several Walmart associates will cut the ribbon to officially open the store.
“The response we have already received has been so positive,” said Patel. “We know our customers are excited for us to open our doors, and we can’t wait to welcome them.”
Grand-Opening Events
Customers are encouraged to come to the store on grand-opening day to take advantage of a wide variety of events and promotions. The grand-opening day celebration events include product samplings and giveaways from companies such as Bimbo Bakeries, Frito-Lay, Monster, Pepsi and Mission Foods, and a character appearance by the Bimbo Bear. All events are family-friendly, free and open to the public.
Customer Convenience and Wide Product Selection
By combining general merchandise and an expanded food section in one convenient location, the store offers Oxnard shoppers the convenience of shopping close to home.
The new store features a wide assortment of quality, value-priced merchandise, including:
- Family apparel
- Health and beauty aids
- Electronics
- Toys
- Lawn and garden items
- Jewelry
- Automotive products
- Home furnishings
- Hardware
- Sporting goods
- Pet supplies
- Housewares
- Crafts
- Fabrics
The expanded food and grocery area will include a selection of fresh, pre-packaged produce, salads and bakery items, as well as a variety of pre-sliced meats and cheeses in the store’s deli. The store will also offer dairy products, including milk and yogurt, and will have a variety of frozen foods. Other features include dry goods and staples, beverages, canned and packaged goods, baking items and household supplies.
The pharmacy, located at the front of the store, will offer a full range of products and services to support the health and wellness of customers and their families. The pharmacy team can answer questions and offer health and wellness solutions. They can also assist customers who wish to transfer their prescriptions to Walmart.
Community Organizations Benefit from Grand-Opening Grants
Nonprofit organizations will also benefit from the retailer’s ongoing charitable contributions and support for community projects. As part of Walmart’s commitment to the communities in which it operates, $8,000 in grants from Walmart and the Walmart Foundation will be presented to local organizations at the grand opening. Recipients include the Make-A-Wish Foundation of the Tri-Counties, Boys and Girls Club of Greater Oxnard and Port Hueneme, Interface Children and Family Services, and the Oxnard Police Activities League.
Healthier Food and “Great For You”
Walmart made a major commitment to make food healthier and healthier food more affordable, ensuring families won’t have to choose between a product that is good for them and one they can afford. Steps in the healthier food initiative include:
- Reformulate thousands of packaged food items by 2015 by reducing sodium and added sugars and removing all remaining industrially produced trans fats.
- Make healthier choices more affordable by providing savings on fresh produce and reducing the price premium on “better-for-you” items.
- Provide solutions to address food deserts by bringing stores in underserved communities.
- Increase charitable support for nutrition programs that help educate consumers about healthier food solutions and choices.
The “Great For You” icon appears on select Great Value and Marketside products as well as fresh and packaged fruits and vegetables. The icon was developed to help customers easily identify nutritious food options so they can make healthier eating choices for themselves and their families. For more information, visit corporate.walmart.com/healthier-food.
Walmart.com Services
Walmart.com services will be available at the store’s entrance. In addition to a digital-photo processing lab, the store will also offer two services for customers who shop online. Site-to-Store is a free service that allows customers to ship online orders from www.walmart.com free to any Walmart store for pickup. Pick Up Today is a free service that allows customers to order store items online and pick them up at their local Walmart store that same day (or the next day if items are ordered after 6 p.m. local time).
Pay With Cash
All Walmart stores and Walmart Neighborhood Markets participate in the “Pay With Cash” program. This allows customers to order online at Walmart.com and pay for the items with cash at all stores in the U.S. Walmart is the first major retailer to offer online purchases without the need for banking services or a credit, debit or prepaid card.
Economic Impact Includes Approximately 200 New JobsThe
new Oxnard Walmart will employ approximately 200 associates, according to Patel. The average wage at Walmart for full-time hourly associates in California is approximately $12.89 per hour.* Eligible full- and part-time associates at Walmart are able to take advantage of many employment benefits, including a wide variety of health-care plans, 401(k) participation, discounts, membership at Sam’s Club and the opportunity to purchase stock. Nearly 75 percent of the company’s managers began their Walmart careers as hourly associates. Patel started his Walmart career in 2010 in Santa Clarita. He brings 12 years of retail experience, primarily in Southern California, to the Oxnard store.
About Walmart
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT) helps people around the world save money and live better – anytime and anywhere – in retail stores, online, and through their mobile devices. Each week, more than 200 million customers and members visit our 10,400 stores under 69 banners in 27 countries and e-commerce websites in 10 countries. With fiscal year 2012 sales of approximately $444 billion, Walmart employs more than 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://corporate.walmart.com, on Facebook at http://facebook.com/walmart and on Twitter at http://twitter.com/walmartnewsroom. Online merchandise sales are available at http://www.walmart.com and http://www.samsclub.com.
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