Walmart

[giantsfan2016]

Most of the stuff at The Bristol Neighborhood Market is 25% Off. A lot of the shelves are bare (probably shipped the stuff to the other Walmart). Hours have been cut to 7AM-7PM seven days a week. The Deli closed as of May 20th. They have deli meat for sale the full "blocks" of meat and cheese. (Tho the sell by dates have been blacked out it many cases). The 25% off come off at the end much like the "Bonus Buys" at Stop & Shop/Giant, but unlike those "bonus buys" it doesn't tell you what you paid for each item. It just says "Discount Given" and the amount.

[giantsfan2016]

The Neighborhood Market in Bristol, Connecticut is now closed. The last day was supposed to be yesterday June 9th. They already took the sign off the building and the 3 roadside signs one on Route 6 and the other 2 - one in back of The Bristol Commons Annex. And another by the Oakland Street Exit/Entrance to the store. The only sign that remains is the one for Nutmeg Credit Union, which had a branch in the store and also closed. I guess they're clearing out the store today as there were a few cars and tractor trailers on the property. There were a couple people sitting at the picnic table outside the store.

A friend of mine from this forum and I were discussing future use of this building on Facebook Messenger and he thinks (and I agree) the Price Chopper should open a small Market 32 in this location. (Instead of at their existing location in the adjacent Bristol Commons Plaza). He just doesn't know if Bristol would embrace the Market 32 concept. I don't know either as I have never been in a Market 32.

[jason83080]

One of the Urban Explorer folks on YouTube got into the old Walmart at the failed City View Center in Garfield Heights, Ohio. First, some info about CVC for the unaware:

http://www.deadanddyingretail.com/2012/05/city-view-center-in-garfield-heights.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uBlmAfSOlak

[TheFugitive]

As of February 1, 2018, Walmart will be changing its official corporate name from
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. to Walmart, Inc.

This will reflect both the dropping of the hyphen in their logo several years ago,
and the company's increased emphasis in online sales.

http://www.businessinsider.com/walmart-changes-its-name-2017-12

[Moline]

I was doing a bit of picture searching to see what Walmart looked like in the early to mid-2000's as I wanted to see what it looked like, and found out my brain is totally fried (being born in 1999 and only being about 4, 5, 6, and 7 when they had the "We Sell For Less" and "Always" branding. 8 years old through 18 was spent at a newer Walmart that opened around 2008-2009 timeframe. Now we shop at an older, but remodeled Walmart again due to relocating). I do remember the signage they had, particularly the ones over the health and beauty section, which was red, had a picture sampling the aisle's contents, and then text on both sides of the picture telling us what was in the aisle. I have always thought the food center used this same signage, but apparently, the signage on that side was in the shape of a triangle. I do remember when the outside of the store was red and blue and had the "We Sell For Less" and "Always" branding on the store. And I'm fairly certain that the inside of those Walmart's had the "We Sell For Less" branding painted on some walls as well. While looking around, I found some photos of Walmart stores that look exactly the same as the one that opened in Silvis, Illinois (If you want to look, it's located on Illinois 5 across the street from a Jewel Osco), but it had the "We Sell For Less" and "Always" branding. I thought they did away with that branding when they debuted that store format. I know the Silvis Walmart did not have that branding (that I know of), but it did have the Wal*Mart logo, probably because the new Walmart* logo had not been introduced yet (it would debut later that year (2008)). I then found out through some Flickr photos that Google Earth has a back in time function so I installed that and navigated to the Moline, Illinois Walmart (the store we had to go to before the Silvis one was built), and it showed it as being built as early as 1998 (no pictures for dates between 1994-1997. Going back to 1993 shows nothing in the lot. I did the same with the Silvis Walmart and it showed it as being built in 2009. Going back to 2008 shows it still in construction. I then did the same thing with the Fayetteville, Arkansas Walmart on MLK Boulevard (the one we shop at now), and that shows it as being built as early as 1995. Doing the same with Store #1 in Rogers (the newest one), shows it being built around 1994, but not in supercenter format yet from the looks of things (Anybody here who remembers the Rogers, Arkansas Walmart supercenter store #1 opening in its current spot around 1994? If so, was it a non-supercenter store when it first opened and then expanded to a supercenter later?). I fast forward it to around the 2000's and see it now looks more like a supercenter and more like the mid to late 90's Walmart's plus it added the white tent looking garden center (made up of 6 tents). Using a street view, one can now see that it has expanded its garden center again, and added an entrance reminiscent of later Walmart's garden center (it looks like the garden center that the Silvis, Illinois Walmart uses. It still has the 6 white tents in use as well). You can clearly tell that any improvements they want to roll out to the stores, they try out at store #1, get feedback on it, and then decide if they want to roll it out to the rest of the stores. It makes sense for Walmart to do that, cause you don't want to roll out a very eye-sore remodel plan to all the stores at once and lose shoppers at an alarming rate at all the stores, cause you didn't test it out at store #1 and get feedback on it first. Does anyone know when Walmart began to abandon the "We Sell For Less" "Always" branding on stores? I have no idea when the Moline, Illinois Walmart shed it, and I think the Davenport, Iowa Walmart on Elmore Avenue (one we'd go to occasionally if we were on the Iowa side and needed something), shed it probably around 2010-2011 cause I remember going there and it still had the old, early 2000's signage, and then we went back probably two weeks later or so and the signage had been updated. I think that Walmart now has the current remodel package which just debuted at the MLK Boulevard supercenter just last month (they had been remodeling it since late January, early February of 2018). I'm not even sure if there is even a Walmart that still has the "We Sell For Less" "Always" branding and the Wal*Mart logo anymore.

[Retail Fan+ (Justin Hill)]

I was doing a bit of picture searching to see what Walmart looked like in the early to mid-2000's as I wanted to see what it looked like, and found out my brain is totally fried (being born in 1999 and only being about 4, 5, 6, and 7 when they had the "We Sell For Less" and "Always" branding. 8 years old through 18 was spent at a newer Walmart that opened around 2008-2009 timeframe. Now we shop at an older, but remodeled Walmart again due to relocating). I do remember the signage they had, particularly the ones over the health and beauty section, which was red, had a picture sampling the aisle's contents, and then text on both sides of the picture telling us what was in the aisle. I have always thought the food center used this same signage, but apparently, the signage on that side was in the shape of a triangle. I do remember when the outside of the store was red and blue and had the "We Sell For Less" and "Always" branding on the store. And I'm fairly certain that the inside of those Walmart's had the "We Sell For Less" branding painted on some walls as well. While looking around, I found some photos of Walmart stores that look exactly the same as the one that opened in Silvis, Illinois (If you want to look, it's located on Illinois 5 across the street from a Jewel Osco), but it had the "We Sell For Less" and "Always" branding. I thought they did away with that branding when they debuted that store format. I know the Silvis Walmart did not have that branding (that I know of), but it did have the Wal*Mart logo, probably because the new Walmart* logo had not been introduced yet (it would debut later that year (2008)). I then found out through some Flickr photos that Google Earth has a back in time function so I installed that and navigated to the Moline, Illinois Walmart (the store we had to go to before the Silvis one was built), and it showed it as being built as early as 1998 (no pictures for dates between 1994-1997. Going back to 1993 shows nothing in the lot. I did the same with the Silvis Walmart and it showed it as being built in 2009. Going back to 2008 shows it still in construction. I then did the same thing with the Fayetteville, Arkansas Walmart on MLK Boulevard (the one we shop at now), and that shows it as being built as early as 1995. Doing the same with Store #1 in Rogers (the newest one), shows it being built around 1994, but not in supercenter format yet from the looks of things (Anybody here who remembers the Rogers, Arkansas Walmart supercenter store #1 opening in its current spot around 1994? If so, was it a non-supercenter store when it first opened and then expanded to a supercenter later?). I fast forward it to around the 2000's and see it now looks more like a supercenter and more like the mid to late 90's Walmart's plus it added the white tent looking garden center (made up of 6 tents). Using a street view, one can now see that it has expanded its garden center again, and added an entrance reminiscent of later Walmart's garden center (it looks like the garden center that the Silvis, Illinois Walmart uses. It still has the 6 white tents in use as well). You can clearly tell that any improvements they want to roll out to the stores, they try out at store #1, get feedback on it, and then decide if they want to roll it out to the rest of the stores. It makes sense for Walmart to do that, cause you don't want to roll out a very eye-sore remodel plan to all the stores at once and lose shoppers at an alarming rate at all the stores, cause you didn't test it out at store #1 and get feedback on it first. Does anyone know when Walmart began to abandon the "We Sell For Less" "Always" branding on stores? I have no idea when the Moline, Illinois Walmart shed it, and I think the Davenport, Iowa Walmart on Elmore Avenue (one we'd go to occasionally if we were on the Iowa side and needed something), shed it probably around 2010-2011 cause I remember going there and it still had the old, early 2000's signage, and then we went back probably two weeks later or so and the signage had been updated. I think that Walmart now has the current remodel package which just debuted at the MLK Boulevard supercenter just last month (they had been remodeling it since late January, early February of 2018). I'm not even sure if there is even a Walmart that still has the "We Sell For Less" "Always" branding and the Wal*Mart logo anymore.

Walmart began to abandon the "We sell for less!" and "Always" slogans when they changed the store's name from Wal-Mart to Walmart.

[Moline]

Walmart began to abandon the "We sell for less!" and "Always" slogans when they changed the store's name from Wal-Mart to Walmart.

That makes sense. I thought they started to abandon it when they were still known as Wal*Mart as their Silvis, Illinois store still had the Wal*Mart Supercenter sign as late as 2011, but it didn't have the "We Sell For Less" and "Always" branding. This store opened in 2008 or so. I have attached a picture showing the Walmart from the outside in 2011 from Google Maps' Street View.

[retailisking]

It appears to be an old Division 1 store, only 35K square feet. It closes at 9PM daily. 24-hour Supercenters are located in nearby cities.
Old photo of the store linked as well as a newer one showing exterior renovations as well as part of the plaza it's in.


https://herald-review.com/business/local/clinton-walmart-to-close-in-july-a-devastating-blow-for/article_cc7220f1-bb2e-59af-906f-08f272756d88.html

[Moline]

Here's a challenge of sorts. Does anyone know of any Walmart's that look like this still? This google maps still is from 2013, a year before the store was painted brown.

[Retail Fan+ (Justin Hill)]

It appears to be an old Division 1 store, only 35K square feet. It closes at 9PM daily. 24-hour Supercenters are located in nearby cities.
Old photo of the store linked as well as a newer one showing exterior renovations as well as part of the plaza it's in.


https://herald-review.com/business/local/clinton-walmart-to-close-in-july-a-devastating-blow-for/article_cc7220f1-bb2e-59af-906f-08f272756d88.html

It makes me wonder what will replace it. I know two discount retailers that specialize in rural locations: Shopko Hometown and Rose's Discount Stores. I think Shopko Hometown would be perfect for that location, seeing how well their acquisition of twenty former ALCO stores went in the past.

[Retail Fan+ (Justin Hill)]

A Wal-Mart newspaper ad from 1983 featuring the Atari 5200.

[giantsfan2016]

The Southington, Connecticut Walmart removed 7 checkout lanes and replaced them with self checkout terminals.

[Moline]

Here's a challenge of sorts. Does anyone know of any Walmart's that look like this still? This google maps still is from 2013, a year before the store was painted brown.

This challange still stands. Might be a bit hard however.

[Moline]

I have a puzzling mystery on my hands, and wanted help solving it.

This is the original Walmart on MLK Blvd in Fayetteville, Arkansas before it relocated into a supercenter down the road C. 1995. We learned that this was the original walmart from a few checkout people at the supercenter. Walmart still uses the building for their Optical Lab. If you look closely, you'll see various labelscaring. Can't tell what each of it is. One last time, this is the original walmart before relocating to the supercenter.


But then, how do you explain this?



This is very clearly the same design structure used by the pre-supercenter format (late 80's to early 90's), except the excess stuff was cut off leaving only the entrance part. That small space clearly must work for their car business, but still I highly doubt car-mart would have built the store new like this. That would have caused issues with walmart, especially the times corporate may go to the MLK supercenter. It has to be that this was something walmart related, but when car-mart moved in, they knocked down the excess. A theory I just came up with is maybe this was going to be where the walmart relocated to due to having issues with realtors and such with getting their current lot to build supercenter, but then the issues were resolved before they finished the full store (with what's seen in this photo being all that was up when the issues were resolved, and note this would still have been the smaller pre-supercenter store), making this building redundent with car-mart moving in for their operations. I would appreciate it if someone who might have knowledge on this subject can help me out here. Thanks!

EDIT: I found another Car-Mart dealership using the same Walmart-esk building style pictured above in Siloam Springs, Arkansas. This just adds to the mystery. I should note that the other Car-Marts in Rogers/Springdale and the second one in Fayetteville, plus several in Oklahoma do not look like that style at all. This place is a chain of sorts so you may have one near you. If you do, please let me know if it looks like the one pictured here.

[retailisking]

Probably a lot more to come...
https://wjactv.com/news/local/walmart-to-eliminate-24-hour-operations-at-100-stores

[Amesguy2000]

I know ours In Portland IN is one of them. I just found out yesterday

[TheFugitive]

Nothing good ever happens at Walmart between the hours of 2 and 6 AM.

[Planet Retail]

That doesn't surprise me. The small amount of customers likely doesn't justify the operating costs of keeping stores open during the night.

[giantsfan2016]

Nothing good ever happens at Walmart between the hours of 2 and 6 AM.

I've been to the Super Center in Wallingford, Connecticut a few times after 2AM. Me and my buddy were the only customers. Buying junk food and MT Dew. Then smoking a joint in my buddy's SUV while we snacked on the junk food. Hip-hop music cranked up on the stereo! Very therapeutic.

[Everything Community]

There is a Wal*Mart in East Windsor, CT (located next to Big Y) that has sat vacant ever since Walmart moved their location 1/8 miles north in town 5 1/2 years ago to become the Supercenter. While it may have closed since November 2013, many of their leftover signs are still there. Even though the old Wal*Mart logo was taken down and the background exterior was repainted, you can still clearly see the logo labelscar atop the banner. I believe this store opened in 1995 and that in later years, had the Subway attached on there (moved along with Walmart at the same time).

[Planet Retail]

Apparently, Walmart Canada is closing two stores: one in Sault Ste Marie, Ontario and one in Pincourt, Quebec.
https://saultonline.com/2019/05/developing-station-mall-walmart-to-close/
They also recently closed a store in Toronto, which like these other two, were all former Zellers locations they acquired from Target.

[Retail Regents]

There's this weird Division 1 store in Rochester, NY that still looks like it's stuck in the 1990s despite having the current logo on the building and having Project Impact decor. Interior walls are gray and the support poles still have carpet on them, despite the apparel pad having the standard laminate woodgrain flooring that just about every Walmart has. Registers have the red boxes, but lack touchscreens and bagging carousels, and the wraparounds are clearly painted as the original pewter blue finish is starting to show through. No self-checkouts either. Books & Magazines has several genre sleeves from the early 2000s with the star Walmart logo. Many actionways still have the red stripes. Jewelry is across from electronics, and has a late 1990s jewelry counter. The electronics section is in the middle with only 1 way in and out. Still has a yellow photo counter, which looks like it's seen better days. There's an empty space in the back that was originally layaway and Site-to-Store. Pickup is in the front where the snack bar was. The strangest irony is all the lighting is LED despite being severely outdated.

[Retail Regents]

wal-mart in greece ny that opened 1990 or 1991 and sq.ft. and they want to relocate it nearby as a supercenter.

That Greece one is still operating as of 2019, and it's very outdated. It originally opened July 2, 1991, exactly three months after the Henrietta location. I believe it's about 119,000 sq. ft. I just made a post about it.

[Moline]

Does anyone's Walmart happen to have a mini-store called the Spark Shop in it? Ours in Fayetteville, Arkansas does. It opened up in the closed Arvest Bank (closed around early 2018). It has a big picture showing the Walton's 5-10 storefront in Bentonville on the back wall. This is in the front where the usual Walmart shops are at if you're wondering. Here's a photo showing some of it. Sorry for the random black in the middle. I accidentally caught a passerby in the photo.

[retailisking]

Walmart is closing more stores
https://www.businessinsider.com/walmart-stores-closing-list-2019-3

[Moline]

Does anyone's Walmart happen to have a mini-store called the Spark Shop in it? Ours in Fayetteville, Arkansas does. It opened up in the closed Arvest Bank (closed around early 2018). It has a big picture showing the Walton's 5-10 storefront in Bentonville on the back wall. This is in the front where the usual Walmart shops are at if you're wondering. Here's a photo showing some of it. Sorry for the random black in the middle. I accidentally caught a passerby in the photo.

The Spark Shop is closed and all the walls are plain white again. Not really sure what they're doing with the old Arvest Bank store front here.

[giantsfan2016]

Southington and Bristol Connecticut are getting remodels. Southington had a major remodel 10 years ago. Bristol. Well I know they painted the exterior of the building in 2015 or 2016 and got the "new" logo.

[Retail Regents]

My favorite Wal-Mart lost its books & magazines genre signs. Means very little since no other changes have been made.

[Brammy]

Southington and Bristol Connecticut are getting remodels. Southington had a major remodel 10 years ago. Bristol. Well I know they painted the exterior of the building in 2015 or 2016 and got the "new" logo.

They have completed the remodel of the Southington Store. It looks very different. They tried to go for a kind of upscale look, but failed miserably (much like when I try to dress myself hip-hop style). They moved the in-store pick-up area to the former Subway at the front of the store. They added a "Family" restroom at the back of the store where the pick-up area used to be.

[mixedday]

In the Philly area, Walmart is closing a location:
https://www.inquirer.com/business/retail/walmart-norristown-closing-layoffs-germantown-pike-20191001.html

I'm familiar with this location as it is the closest Walmart to Plymouth Meeting.

Although this Walmart wasn't a supercenter and was an older store, it's still interesting for Walmart to close while a nearby Weis and a not so special ShopRite as nearby competitors survive. Usually a high price grocer closes because of a discounter, rather than the discounter (one that is the largest chain) closing. The area is somewhat densely populated down Germantown Pike.

And also, if Walmart had location issues with this site (old, ghetto and too close to the other stores west of it), it should have pursued the former Strawbridge/Macy's space at Plymouth Meeting Mall from PREIT as it now leaves a void closer to Plymouth Meeting. Although Whole Foods there might have meant limited grocery focus for a newer Walmart. PREIT has lined up tenants in a subdivided approach (Edge Fitness, Dick's, Michael's, Burlington), although I'm sure it would have preferred if one larger tenant (Walmart) pursued the space.