Tallahassee gains a new Walmart Supercenter this month. Located on Monroe Street, the store introduces the retailer’s latest in store design and customer experience to the community. The new store will feature the company’s new logo, wider aisles, enhanced service and a special layout designed to make the shopping experience more convenient for customers than ever before. In addition to offering consumers a new one-stop shopping destination, the Supercenter will provide jobs to approximately 250 area residents and provide ongoing support to area non-profit organizations. The store will hold a grand-opening ceremony at 7:30 a.m. Wednesday, March 18, and open its doors to customers at 8 a.m.
Located at 3321 N. Monroe St., the store is on the site of former Sam’s Club that relocated in 2004. In addition to re-using the site, Walmart built the store with 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 throughout the store operates 70 percent more efficiently than traditional fluorescent lighting. Like many Walmart stores, waste heat from the refrigeration system is used to heat hot water for restrooms and kitchen areas. Low-flow toilets and faucets reduce the water used in the bathrooms.
Walmart’s efforts to utilize energy-efficient technology have not gone unnoticed. “Walmart is leading by example. The company can influence and encourage sustainable business practices through its operations and relationships with suppliers and vendors,” said Tim Center, vice president of sustainability initiatives for the Collins Center for Public Policy and director of Sustainable Florida.
Supercenter Brings 250 Jobs, Economic Boost to Tallahassee
The Supercenter plans to employ approximately 250 associates. Most of the positions will be full time, according to Store Manager Michael Hicks.
“Working for Walmart provides a number of career opportunities and choices for so many people, from seniors looking for supplemental income to young people just starting their work experience,” said Hicks. More than 15 of the Tallahassee store’s associates have worked for Walmart for more than 10 years.
The average wage at Walmart for full-time hourly associates in Florida is approximately $11.38 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.
The Tallahassee store is one of two Walmart Supercenters opening in Florida on March 18. The other is located in West Palm Beach.
Layout Improves Customer Experience
The 24-hour Supercenter is designed to make shopping easy for customers. Lower shelving creates an improved sightline and directional signage on every aisle helps customers find what they are looking for quickly. The layout creates an open shopping environment with wider aisles that contain no product displays.
“The layout of the store is easy to navigate, which will save our customers time as they shop for everyday necessities,” Hicks said. “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.”
The Supercenter also brings Walmart customers an expanded electronics department featuring a wide selection of the latest consumer electronics and home entertainment. The new design includes a more hands-on experience for customers with interactive displays for hi-definition Blu-ray, video gaming and portable electronics. The interactive experience makes it easier for shoppers to test new technology.
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 Tallahassee Supercenter, resulting in faster service, a friendlier shopping experience and cleaner stores.
Community Organizations Benefit from Grand-Opening Grants
As part of Walmart’s commitment to the communities in which it operates, $20,000 in grants from the Wal-Mart Foundation will be presented during the grand-opening celebration. Associates at the Tallahassee Supercenter selected America’s Second Harvest of the Big Bend to receive a $5,000 grant to support the food bank and its hunger-relief efforts. A total of $10,000 in grants will be shared by nearby schools, including Godby High School, Griffin Middle School, Springwood Elementary School and Leon County Schools. The Collins Center for Public Policy received a $2,500 grant for its Sustainable Florida program, a 20-year-old public-private alliance focused on environmental stewardship and economic development.
“We are thankful for Walmart’s support during its grand opening, which clearly demonstrates its commitment to our community and to Sustainable Florida’s goal of promoting sustainable development principles through education and collaboration,” Center said.
Ribbon-Cutting Celebration 7:30 a.m., March 18
Community and business leaders will join Walmart associates at 7:30 a.m. Wednesday for a brief ribbon-cutting ceremony. Pastor Bill Rhodes of Killearn United Methodist Church will offer an invocation and a representative from Stubbs Educational Foundation will perform the national anthem. Students from Godby High School’s Junior ROTC program will present the colors during the ceremony. Community and business leaders will join Hicks to cut the ribbon to the new store. Throughout the day, customers will be able to enjoy character appearances, product samples and giveaways.
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