NEWS - Retail & Shopping Centers

New Walmart provides 250 jobs

A new Walmart opened late last month in Savannah, bringing 250 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 14030 Abercorn St., across from the Savannah Mall, opened to customers at 7 a.m., Wednesday, Jan. 26.

The new Savannah Walmart will employ approximately 250 associates, according to store manager David Henry. Henry is a Florida native who began his Walmart career in 1998 as an hourly sales associate in produce at a store in Pensacola. One associate has worked for Walmart for 25 years and comes from a nearby store.

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 Savannah Walmart.

The new Walmart features 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 pharmacy, for example, is adjacent to food making it easier for customers to pick up prescriptions while shopping for groceries.

“The layout of the store is easy to navigate,which will save our customers time as they shop for everyday necessities,” said Henry. “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.

The Savannah Walmart, like all new Walmart stores, includes energy-efficient technology and environmentally-friendly features to reduce energy and water consumption and mini mize 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 that includes organic composting and will promote sustainable product purchases.

Community Organizations Benefit from Grand-Opening Grants
As part of Walmart ’s commitment to the communities in which it operates, $25,000 in grants from the Walmart Foundation will be presented during the grand opening celebration. Old Savannah City Mission will receive $5,000 to support programs that serve the community. One Hundred Black Men of Savannah, Greenbriar Children’s Center, Junior Achievement and Savannah State College will each receive $2,500. The following organizations and schools will each receive $1,000: Bartlett Middle School, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Largo Elementary School, Rotary of Savannah, Senior Citizens Inc., White Bluff Elementary School, Windsor Forest Elementary School and High School and the YMCA.

Walmart and the Walmart Foundation have committed $2 billion to U.S. hunger relief efforts through 2015. The Fighting Hunger Together campaign will also engage Walmart customers and associates in the fight against hunger. More information can be found at walmart.com/fightinghunger.