In 2024, after a seven-year hiatus on building new physical stores (there were a handful of exceptions), to concentrate on upgrading its digital networks, the Bentonville, AR-based mass merchant renewed its effort to upgrade existing stores and also build about a dozen new units.
That trend has continued for the past two years and earlier this month, the world’s largest retailer said it would remodel about 650 stores in 34 states. Those banners would include conventional Walmart discount stores, SuperCenters and Neighborhood Markets. It also announced that the company would open about 20 new stores, although none of those stores will be in the Mid-Atlantic or Northeast regions.
However, 114 stores of those stores targeted for remodeling are located in the area stretching from Maryland to Maine and include both discount units (“division one”) and Supercenters.
Upgrades to those existing stores include wider aisles and updated layouts; improved displays and expanded assortments; expanded pickup and delivery services, including express delivery options; updated vision centers and pharmacies with private consultation rooms; new digital touchpoints helping bring its online assortment into the shopping experience; refreshed interiors and exteriors with modern signage, improved parking and landscaping.
Those stores slated for remodels in Food Trade News’ marketing area are:
Connecticut: Avon, Branford, Groton, Norwalk, Old Saybrook, Torrington and West Haven (discount stores) and Cromwell, Naugatuck and Waterford (SuperCenters).
Maryland: Catonsville, Columbia, Easton, Mount Airy and Prince Frederick (discount stores) and Abingdon, Northeast, Oakland Pocomoke City and Severn (SuperCenters).
Maine: Falmouth (discount store) and Auburn and Biddeford (SuperCenters).
Massachusetts: Bellingham, Hadley, Lynn, Methuen, Northampton, Pittsford, Seekonk and Sturbridge (discount stores) and N. Attleboro, Tewksbury and Walpole (SuperCenters).
New Hampshire: Keene and Plaistow (discount stores) and Concord, Epping, Manchester, Plymouth, Rochester, Seabrook and Somersworth (SuperCenters).
New Jersey: Hammonton, Millville, Newton, Pennsville, Riverdale and Union (discount stores); and Cinnaminson, Raritan Twp., Hamilton, Lanoka Harbor, Little Egg Harbor and Old Bridge (SuperCenters).
New York: East Setauket and Mohegan Lakes (discount stores); and Auburn, Camillus, Cheektowaga, Gates, Halfmoon, Hamburg, Hudson, Ithaca, Johnson City, Lancaster, Monroe, Monticello, Newburgh, Newark, Niagara Falls [Military Road], N. Tonawanda, Oneida, Olean, Rochester (Hudson Ave.), Vestal and Watkins Glen (Supercenters).
Pennsylvania: all 32 stores slated for upgrades are Supercenters in Bethlehem, Bethel Park, Blairsville, Corry, Duncansville, Ephrata, Everett, Gettysburg, Greenville, Harleysville, Harrisburg (Grayson Road), Hermitage, Lancaster (Fruitville Pike), Latrobe, Lehighton, Lewisburg, Mansfield, Mechanicsburg, Milford, Reading (two stores – Perkiomen Avenue and Allentown Pike), Selinsgrove, Shippensburg, State College, Taylor, Titusville, Tunkhannock, Warminster, Wyncote, Wyomissing and York (Town Center Dr.ive
Vermont: the discount unit in Williston and the SuperCenter in Derby will be remodeled over the next nine months.
In describing its objective for undertaking such a large initiative, Walmart said: “Our goal is simple: we want shopping to feel easy, intuitive, and connected while continuing to deliver the everyday low prices our customers expect”
