Phoenix-area elected officials and dignitaries, Walmart executives and loads of happy shoppers celebrated the grand opening of a new Walmart Supercenter this morning at the iconic Metrocenter Mall, in northwest Phoenix.
“Opening the doors to this Walmart Supercenter and seeing the aisles fill with shoppers is so gratifying for all of us who’ve worked to bring this day to fruition,” said Paula Ginnett, a Walmart Vice President and Regional General Manager in Arizona. “We’re excited to be able to better serve our customers in northwest Phoenix, and to be part of the revitalization of the Phoenix landmark that is Metrocenter Mall.”
The 148,000-square-foot Walmart represents the single largest capital investment at Metrocenter Mall in decades. Built new from the ground up, the store is built on the site of the former Broadway building, which had been vacant since 2006.
“The opening of the new Walmart at Metrocenter Mall has not only created hundreds of jobs for Arizonans, but is also part of a larger effort to revitalize this landmark shopping complex,” said Jennifer Mellor, Vice President of Economic Development for the Greater Phoenix Chamber of Commerce. “This is exciting because it will be a major piece of the mall’s transformation into a multi-use, urban center.”
“Today’s grand opening is the first physical step in our strategic redevelopment of Metrocenter,” said Warren Fink, Chief Operating Officer for Carlyle Development Group. “With their opening, Walmart adds momentum to that effort and becomes part of our larger vision, which is to transform this site into a dynamic live-work-play environment, with multiple uses and a quickly-evolving mass transit system that will directly link this location to the entire metro area.”
The store offers a broad assortment of general merchandise and groceries, including an expanded selection of organics and gluten-free products, at Walmart’s Everyday Low Prices. Customers will also enjoy convenient on-site services, such as a full pharmacy with multiple service lanes and private consultation room, as well as a Walmart Pickup lounge, providing an easy way to shop millions of products on Walmart.com. The new store creates up to 300 jobs for full- and part-time associates.
Store Festivities All Week
Today’s ribbon-cutting ceremony is just the first of multiple family-friendly activities at the store in the coming days.
A Walmart ice cream truck will be parked outside the store Oct. 12-17. On Friday, Oct. 13, the new store will host a Fall Festival from 5-9 p.m. Free activities will include music, Halloween-themed rock painting and other games, food samples and refreshments, hay bales, pumpkins and more. Fans of the Disney Junior program “PJ Masks” will want to be on-hand Saturday, Oct. 14, when the superhero characters make an in-store appearance.
Finally, the Walmart Supercenter will host A Big Family Welcome celebration for the community, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 14 and noon to 6 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 15. There will be activities for the entire family, along with free food samples and giveaways, while supplies last.
Pharmacists Ready To Serve
Walmart pharmacists are ready to assist customers with prescriptions, immunizations, product questions and other health services. Phoenix residents can easily transfer prescriptions and order refills on the go with the Walmart mobile app.
Fresh, Affordable Produce, Meat and Groceries
The store will include a full grocery department featuring a large selection of fresh produce, premium products, the finest cuts of USDA choice meats and deli offerings. The in-store bakery offers such items as freshly baked bread, personalized cakes and single-serve items.
Online Grocery Pickup Coming Soon
Beginning in the weeks ahead, customers of the new Phoenix Walmart Supercenter will be able to order Walmart groceries online and pick them up without ever having to unbuckle their seatbelts. They will select from up to 40,000 online grocery items and then choose the best time to pick-up their order. A Walmart personal shopper will load the groceries into the customer’s vehicle when they arrive – all at no additional cost.
Shop How, Where and When You Want: Convenience Offerings
In addition to Online Grocery Pickup, Walmart is innovating the shopping experience like no one else – so customers can shop when and how they want.
• Families in Phoenix can shop nearly 40 million items on Walmart.com.
• Walmart also gives customers the power of choice; Pickup Discount gives customers a discount on select items if they choose to pick up their Walmart.com order at a store.
• In addition, free 2-Day shipping is offered with no extra cost for orders of $35 or more.
• The Walmart mobile app for iPhone and Android makes shopping easier than ever. By using the Walmart mobile app, customers can create shopping lists, search the location of items in their store, check weekly ads and prices, save e-receipts and shop Walmart.com.
Job Opportunities at Walmart
The store will employ up to 300 full- and part-time associates. Applicants interested in careers at Walmart can apply online at Walmartcareers.com. We’re proud of the fact that more than 75 percent of Walmart store managers and leaders began their Walmart careers as hourly associates. At the new Metrocenter location, Store Manager Duane Morrison started with Walmart 15 years ago and has managed multiple stores in Arizona.
Starting in 2015, Walmart began making a $2.7 billion investment over a two-year period in higher wages, more scheduling choices and further training for its associates. As part of increased wages across the company, the average full-time hourly associate now makes $13.79/hour in Arizona.
