Remodeled store adds 85 jobs, plus more convenience for local shoppers
HIGHLAND, Calif., Jan. 18, 2013 – Residents of Highland are invited to the opening of the newly expanded Walmart store, which will celebrate its debut at 8 a.m., Wednesday, Jan. 30. The store is located at 4210 E. Highland Ave. The expanded store, which originally opened in 1993, now features a full line of groceries and brings approximately 85 new jobs to the area and opportunities for savings for customers. It will be open 6 a.m. to 11 p.m., seven days a week.
“Our customers are really looking forward to having a full grocery selection,” said store manager Emilio Gonzalez. “Not only will the addition of groceries be a positive change for our Highland customers, but also those from surrounding areas in San Bernardino County. We have a number of customers from the mountain areas such as Big Bear, Arrowhead and Running Springs.”
Ribbon-Cutting Celebration at 8 a.m., Wednesday, Jan. 30
Community and business leaders will join Walmart associates at 8 a.m., Wednesday, Jan. 30, for a brief ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Grand-Opening Events
Customers are encouraged to come to the store Wednesday, Jan. 30, to take advantage of a wide variety of events and promotions, including product samplings and giveaways from companies such as Coke, Frito-Lay and others. All events are family-friendly, free and open to the public.
Customer Convenience and Wide Product Selection
By combining general merchandise and adding a full line of groceries in one convenient location, the approximately 175,000-square-foot store now offers Highland shoppers the convenience of one-stop shopping close to home.
The store expanded approximately 51,000-square-feet and features a wide assortment of quality, value-priced merchandise, including:
- Family apparel
- Health and beauty aids
- Electronics
- Toys
- Jewelry
- Automotive products
- Fabrics
- Crafts
- Lawn and garden items
- Home furnishings
- Hardware
- Sporting goods
- Pet supplies
- Housewares
The grocery area will include a wide selection of fresh produce, including a variety of organic products. Other features include a bakery, meat and dairy products, dry goods and staples, beverages, full liquor sales, a deli, frozen foods, canned and packaged goods, baking items and household supplies.
The pharmacy offers 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.
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 rear of the store. 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 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. Now, customers can shop a broader selection of items online, hundreds of thousands more items beyond its stores. 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 85 New Jobs
The newly expanded Highland Walmart will employ approximately 300 associates, including 85 jobs created by the expansion, according to Gonzalez. Gonzalez joined Walmart in 1992 as a cart pusher and cashier at a store in Colton. 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.
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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