[StBernard] Walmart Returns to St. Bernard Parish - Ribbon-Cutting Celebration 7:30 a.m., Feb. 3

Westley Annis Westley at da-parish.com
Fri Jan 29 22:19:54 EST 2010


Walmart Returns to St. Bernard Parish

Chalmette store provides 350 jobs, offers savings and convenience



CHALMETTE, La., Jan. 27, 2010 - St. Bernard Parish residents will celebrate
the return of Walmart in early February as the retailer re-opens its store
in Chalmette. The store brings 350 jobs, savings on a full line of
groceries, an expected increase in tax revenue to support the area's economy
and ongoing charitable contributions and support for community projects. The
Walmart, located at 8101 W. Judge Perez Drive, will open to customers
Wednesday, Feb. 3, following a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 7:30 a.m.



"This store offers much more than a convenient place to shop for our
customers," said Jim Craddock, store manager. "Walmart's return to Chalmette
is a symbol of this community's resilience and its commitment to recover
after Hurricane Katrina. We are excited about helping rebuild St. Bernard
Parish and being of service to residents in surrounding areas."



Originally opened in 1986, the store moved in June 2005 to its current
location. Two months later on Aug. 29, 2005, the store, along with much of
St. Bernard Parish and the greater New Orleans area, sustained substantial
damage due to Hurricane Katrina.



Local officials are enthusiastic about Walmart's return to St. Bernard
Parish. "We are extremely excited about the much anticipated re-opening of
Walmart. This is important not only for the financial support of the parish
but also the enthusiasm of our residents' shopping convenience," said Parish
President Craig Taffaro Jr.



Economic Impact Includes 350 New Jobs

The new Chalmette Walmart will employ approximately 350 associates,
according to Craddock. Fifteen of the store's associates have worked for
Walmart for more than 10 years. More than 100 associates who were working at
the store prior to Hurricane Katrina have returned to work at the new store.




Store Designed to Improve Customer Experience

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 Chalmette Walmart, with
fast service, a friendly shopping experience and clean stores.



The new 174,614-square-foot Walmart has a layout designed to make the
shopping experience more convenient for customers. Walmart aligned the
departments that customers shop most frequently. Walmart 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 layout of the store is easy to navigate, which will save our customers
time as they shop for everyday necessities," said Craddock. "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.



Community Organizations Benefit from Grand-Opening Grants

As part of Walmart's commitment to the communities in which it operates,
$15,000 in grants from the Walmart Foundation will be presented during the
grand-opening celebration. The grants will support rebuilding and recovery
efforts within St. Bernard Parish, including helping replace equipment for
the parish fire department, sheriff's office, animal control and library.
Recipients also include Chalmette High School and St. Bernard Middle School.
The First Baptist Church of Chalmette will receive a grant to support its
community food pantry.



Store Design Incorporates Environmentally Friendly Features

The Chalmette Walmart, like all new Walmart stores, includes
energy-efficient technology and environmentally friendly features to reduce
energy and water consumption and minimize 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 and will promote sustainable product
purchases.



Ribbon-Cutting Celebration 7:30 a.m., Feb. 3

Community and business leaders will join Walmart associates at 7:30 a.m.
Wednesday for a brief ribbon-cutting ceremony. Walmart associate Janay Smith
will perform the national anthem, and Brother John Jefferies from the First
Baptist Church, will offer the invocation. Parish President Taffaro and
other local officials will help Craddock cut the ribbon to the new store.



About Walmart

Every week, millions of customers visit Walmart stores, Neighborhood
Markets, and Sam's Club locations across America or log on to its online
store at www.walmart.com. The company and its Foundation are committed to a
philosophy of giving back locally. Walmart (NYSE: WMT) is proud to support
the causes that are important to customers and associates right in their own
neighborhoods, and last year gave more than $378 million to local
communities in the United States. More information about Walmart can be
found by visiting www.walmartstores.com.





FACT SHEET

Chalmette Walmart

Store facts

* Location: 8101 W. Judge Perez Drive, Chalmette, La.

* 174,614-square-foot Walmart
* Store opens Wednesday, Feb. 3, following a ribbon-cutting ceremony
at 7:30 a.m.
* Store manager: Jim Craddock
* Open 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week



Store features

* Full line of groceries including a bakery, a deli serving fresh food
and meal solutions for moms, meat and dairy products, fresh produce and beer
* More than 30 merchandise departments such as apparel and
accessories, a lawn and garden center, health and beauty aids, and an
expanded electronics department
* Convenience services include a pharmacy, digital photo processing
center, Walmart Connect Center, and a MoneyCenter
* Leased areas and services include SmartStyle Family Hair Salon,
Regal Nails salon, Subway restaurant and a branch of Woodforest National
Bank. A Murphy USA fuel station is located in front of the store.



Charitable giving

* $15,000 in grants from the Walmart Foundation to the following area
organizations

o Chalmette High School

o First Baptist Community Food Pantry

o St. Bernard Middle School

o St. Bernard Parish

o St. Bernard Parish Animal Control

o St. Bernard Parish Fire Department

o St. Bernard Parish Library

o St. Bernard Parish Sheriff's Office



Employment

* Store plans to employ approximately 350 associates

* The average wage at Walmart for full-time hourly associates in
Louisiana is approximately $11.56 per hour*

* Walmart benefits - available to eligible full- and part-time
associates - include health insurance with no lifetime maximum. Walmart also
offers a 401(k) plan and profit sharing contributions, whether an associate
contributes or not, store discount cards, company performance-based bonuses,
stock purchase program and life insurance

* Average wage taken January 2010. See www.walmartstores.com
<http://www.walmartstores.com/> for details.



For more information

* Store manager: Jim Craddock, 504-278-2331.
* Media contact: Kristie Aylett, Mitchell Communications Group,
228-229-9472, aylettk at yahoo.com (Statements and quotes on behalf of Walmart
should not be obtained from or attributed to agency employees.)
* Walmart Home Office spokesperson: Tara Raddohl, 800-331-0085.
* Walmart information online: www.walmartstores.com
<http://www.walmartfacts.com/> ; merchandise sales: www.walmart.com
<http://www.walmart.com/>



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