Coming To Ballpark Village In Early 2017: 24/7 Neighborhood Market by Walmart
Walmart will soon be expanding in the St. Louis region with the addition of its smaller format Neighborhood Market stores:
Currently, the Neighborhood Markets are as large as 45,000 square feet. With the new strategy, they will range from 15,000 to 45,000 square feet in size. The company intends to continue testing with the “Wal-Mart On Campus” and “Wal-Mart To Go” models, and believes that the expansion of the Neighborhood Market banner will not hamper the growth of the new stores, which are still in the testing phase as of now. (Goodbye Wal-Mart Express Stores, Hello Neighborhood Markets!)
By offering grocery basics, pharmacy, and other essentials these stores compete with Walgreens/CVS, Target, etc.
From a Walmart press release:
In February 2014, Walmart U.S. increased its original fiscal 2015 projected capital investment by $600 million to a range of $6.4 to $6.9 billion due to an acceleration of approximately 150 small format openings. However, as a result of the timing of certain planned small format openings, Walmart U.S. now expects to open approximately 240 small format units in fiscal 2015, and carry over approximately 20 units into fiscal 2016.
The company also indicated that during the testing of its Walmart Express format, the analysis showed customers rely on these stores for a variety of reasons, including grocery fill-in trips, last-minute dinner plans and picking up prescriptions. These patterns closely align with how customers also shop the Neighborhood Market format, which has become a recognizable brand that customers identify as a high quality, local grocery store. Therefore, the company will rebrand Walmart Express as Neighborhood Market and will utilize this brand for all small format stores, regardless of square footage.
“We know that our supercenters are an important format for the stock-up trip, but we want to be thoughtful about our investment, ensuring that we align the space to evolving customer needs,” said Walmart U.S. President and CEO Greg Foran. “To do this, we will moderate supercenter growth in fiscal 2016. Our investment in Neighborhood Markets will go forward because they continue to show strong results across the box and they provide our customers with convenient access to grocery, pharmacy services, and other quick-trip needs.”
Fiscal year 2016 capital investments are projected to range between $6.1 and $6.6 billion. The forecast includes new stores, remodels, conversions, relocations, logistics, e-commerce and technology infrastructure, and reflects the additions of new units that will expand Walmart U.S.’s retail space by approximately 15 to 16 million net retail square feet. The company expects to open between 60 and 70 supercenters and 200 to 220 Neighborhood Markets. (Walmart)
One location in our region will be at the NW corner of Ballpark Village — 8th & Walnut.
Laclede Gas will soon be moving its headquarters into the former General American building across the street.
“We’ve watched the success of Schnucks’ Culinaria store and decided we can offer more items at lower prices”, said Neighborhood Market regional manager Gregory Pope.
The Neighborhood Market by Walmart will occupy the ground floor of a new multi-level parking garage structure.
— Steve Patterson
The NW corner is the lower left, not the lower right
Yes, thanks — corrected.
Any information if it’ll be a mixed-use structure or just a one-story box?
Why does the article have an April Fool hashtag?
It was for Fool’s like U, your nearly 80 and still believe that!!
When people who don’t have a sense of humor about anything try to play along with April Fool’s Day, it’s a bit of a train wreck.
Yes, but I just received this email:
Email I received:
“Hi Steve –
I handle all public relations for Ballpark Village St. Louis and was alerted to your blog post linked below this a.m. by KMOV. I am wanting to know where you received this information. I am not certain if Walmart is indeed placing a Neighborhood Market store downtown at that corner, but at this time we have no knowledge or confirmation of it being located on the BPV lot/property. The headline makes it sound like it is. If you can, please clarify where this originated, I’d appreciate it. Thanks!”
Tell them to Google “Currently, the Neighborhood Markets are as large as 45,000 square feet. With the new strategy, they will range from 15,000 to 45,000 square feet in size. The company intends to continue testing with the “Wal-Mart On Campus” and “Wal-Mart To Go.” They will then see that your website is only the source reporting this “news.”
No need to even Google — the post & social media included #aprilfools. Furthermore the link to Walnart spokesperson Gregory Pope is an article about the origins of April Fool’s Day dating back to Pope Gregory.
What was your response to their email? And if I’m not mistaken they use Elsasticity as their local PR firm.