With construction complete on the new Wal-Mart Neighborhood Market store, located at 901 Lithia Pinecrest Rd., the countdown has begun for its debut on Wednesday, August 31, culminating in an evening grand opening celebration, which includes a ribbon cutting ceremony at 7:30 p.m.
According to Store Manager Aaron Powell, the next couple of weeks will be spent by all associates transforming the empty building into a Wal-Mart Neighborhood Market complete with a full line of groceries and a wide assortment of merchandise as well as time-saving services.
“Our store will offer a shopping format that provides area customers access to low-cost groceries, prescriptions as well as household products,” Powell said. “We can’t wait to open and offer Wal-Mart’s unbeatable prices, not to mention fast and friendly service, coupled with a convenient shopping option for our community.”
Powell explained that, after receiving more than 1,000 applications and processing approximately 250, upon its opening, the store will employ approximately 90 associates, many of whom are now reporting to work to help prepare the store for its grand opening.
The 32,000-sq.-ft. market will be open 24 hours a day, with two-self checkout stations and seven registers featuring a stylish look with the green signage, black shelving, track lighting and concrete floors.
Entering the store, patrons will be greeted with a large produce section, followed by a dairy section, prepackaged meats and cold cuts while the store will offer fresh baked bread and fresh rotisserie chickens cooking throughout the day.
Of course, Powell was mainly focused on what will make his customers come back regularly as he emphasized convenience, low prices and a smaller format for those on the go.
“A lot of our customers will want to get in and out of our store quickly,” he said. “Heading home from work or just to pick up a dinner or a few things; we will be here for them.”
While the health and beauty aids department will offer the latest in lotions and cosmetics products, the store’s drive-thru pharmacy will be open Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-9 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m.-7 p.m.; and Sunday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. The pharmacy will feature Wal-Mart’s popular $4 prescription program, which includes hundreds of generic prescriptions, adding to the convenience and format area residents have been looking for in a neighborhood grocery store.
Customers can also print their own digital photos inside the store and rent movies at the redbox stationed just outside near the front entrance.
As a site-to-store location, customers who order items online can take advantage of easy pick-up, not to mention free shipping.
All this is just fine with Valrico resident George Newell, who is looking forward to the new store in his neighborhood and is glad to see it fill the space that sat empty for some time, which will now revive the Lithia Square Plaza.
“I am glad to see a Wal-Mart grocery store coming to the neighborhood,” Newell said. “It’s a great addition and will make shopping in the area much easier.”
While the general hiring is now complete, Wal-Mart continues to hire both full- and part-time associates to work in all areas of the new store. Interested applicants should apply online at http://walmartstores.com/Careers.
For more information about Wal-Mart Neighborhood Markets, please visit www.walmartstores.com or visit one of the Bay area stores.
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