Walmart Debuts Neighborhood Market Initiative

Walmart recently committed to opening or converting more than 150 stores in the next five years, focusing on the Neighborhood Market format. The first two stores opened under the initiative include Neighborhood Market locations in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida, and Atlanta.

“The stores aren’t just new or remodeled. They’re also bigger,” said Kyle Kinnard, SVP of Neighborhood Markets at Walmart U.S., in a blog post. “With 57,000 square feet of salesfloor and pickup and delivery space, the Dune Lakes [Florida] and Vine City [Georgia] stores will have a footprint that’s about 17,000 square feet larger than the average Neighborhood Market.”

The expanded space will allow the retailer to sharpen its focus on value, speed, and convenience, added Kinnard.

The larger layout allows for a broader assortment across the store, particularly in the fresh, bakery, produce, meat, and dairy departments. The expanded service deli will also offer additional hot case options, said Kinnard.

The updated stores also feature wider aisles to improve store navigation, noted Kinnard. Additionally, more space has been added for pickup and delivery order fulfillment, including a dedicated room for refrigerated goods.

“Our customers have busy lives, so one of our goals with the new layout is to help them find what they need even more quickly and easily–whether they choose to shop with us in-store or online,” wrote Kinnard.

The new stores add a Health Services Room to their pharmacies to provide privacy for vaccinations and consultations. An added Mother’s Room will allow nursing moms to shop at the new stores while caring for their children.

“As we remodel, convert, and build new stores, we are being thoughtful about how to make our Neighborhood Markets right-sized for each community,” wrote Kinnard. Full Story