- Expanded store located at 13425 Community Road
- Poway Walmart expansion creates approximately 85 new jobs
- Store open 24 hours, seven days a week
- Local Facebook page: www.facebook.com/walmart1700
POWAY, CA (November 11, 2014) – Walmart recently completed its revitalization and expansion of the local Poway Walmart store, adding healthy and affordable grocery options to the store’s current pharmacy and general merchandise selections. Store Manager Art Gladue, along with his associates, will host a grand re-opening ceremony at 8 a.m., alongside local dignitaries with a ribbon cutting on Wednesday, November 12. Opened in 1992, the Poway store was the first Walmart in San Diego County and has since held an important role in the community.
“I am excited to see the Poway Walmart store expansion completed and see all the added benefits this new Supercenter will bring,” said Poway Mayor Don Higginson. “Walmart has been an outstanding part of the Poway community, not only helping our residents save money but also supporting numerous community organizations.”
The expanded store employs approximately 300 full- and part-time associates, including approximately 85 jobs created by the expansion. Store manager Arthur Gladue began his Walmart career more than 19 years ago as an hourly associate.
“I am excited to unveil this larger store,” said Gladue. “Our expansion allows us to better serve the Poway community and provide a great shopping experience.”
With both a father and brother in the military, Gladue wants military veterans to know they would be very welcome to apply to work on the team at the Poway store, which already employs several veterans. Through Walmart’s Veterans Welcome Home Commitment, the company will offer a job to any qualified veteran who has been honorably discharged within the past 12 months.
“The Chamber is thrilled at what the addition of this Walmart Supercenter will do to help support our community and keep it growing and thriving,” said Dolores Canizales, President and CEO of the Poway Chamber of Commerce.
The expanded store is conveniently located at 13425 Community Road and is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Walmart is also making holiday shopping more convenient than ever as local residents can shop for more than a million additional items online on Walmart.com and pick them up at the Poway Walmart store for free, often as quickly as the same day. The store expansion will help local businesses in the area and has generated support from groups throughout Poway.
“The addition of groceries at Walmart means that I and other Walmart customers will be able to have better access to affordable food for our families. This addition will not only help our community grow but ultimately bring more customers to the area, helping nearby businesses,” said Karen Dunn, local business owner of Poway Transmissions.
The grand re-opening celebration includes presentations of $27,500 in grants from Walmart to local community groups. Grant recipients include Leap to Success and Next Stage U. Lead to Success works to educate and empower women who are overcoming domestic violence, homelessness, and other major life challenges to reach their greatest potential. Dana Bristol-Smith founded the organization in 2008 in hopes of giving women a voice and helping them find a way to recovery from domestic abuse. Since that time, more than 400 women have graduated from Leap to Success’ training programs that are taught by experts in personal and professional development, and counseling. The long-term vision is to expand by training others nationwide to empower more women who have overcome adversity to reach their potential to become powerful voices and leaders in their communities. The grant was given as part of Walmart’s state giving grant program, which awarded $600,000 in contributions to California organizations this cycle, marking $2 million in funds provided through the program this year.
In addition to the grants given as part of the grand re-opening, the new store will further Walmart’s pledge to fight hunger in America. As part of Walmart’s and the Walmart Foundation’s $2 billion commitment to fight hunger through 2015, Walmart stores in California donated approximately 23.1 million pounds of food, in fiscal year 2014, or the equivalent of 19.3 million meals. Additionally, Walmart and the Walmart Foundation gave more than $47.1 million in fiscal year 2014 in California alone. For more information on Walmart’s fight against hunger, visit http://foundation.walmart.com/our-focus/hunger.
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
250 million customers and members visit our 11,053 stores under 71 banners in
27 countries and e-commerce websites in 11 countries. With fiscal year 2014
sales of over $473 billion, Walmart employs approximately 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/walmart.
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