Walmart, the world's largest retailer, currently runs over 4,600 sites in the United States. The Arkansas-based corporation is now trying to expand its U.S. footprint even further. Walmart stated yesterday that it will build or convert more than 150 locations over the next five years.
This is a departure in the company's growth plan, since Walmart stated in 2016 that it will slow store openings in order to focus on online sales and better compete with Amazon, according to the Associated Press. The business has not opened a new store since 2021.
Walmart is to rebuild 650 stores in 47 states and Puerto Rico during the next year, which the corporation claims "will create tens of thousands of jobs."
The first new additions will be Neighborhood Markets, which are set to open this spring. The businesses will be placed in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida, and Atlanta, Georgia.
Walmart also stated that it is finalizing construction plans for 12 new projects, which it intends to begin this year. The retailer will also transform one of its smaller locations into a Walmart Supercenter.
The new and refurbished Walmart locations will highlight the company's "Store of the Future" concept. According to Walmart's statement, this modern shop design features enhanced layouts, greater product selections, and innovative technologies.
The new stores will also "be designed with sustainability in mind," including energy-efficient equipment and low-impact refrigerants. A coast-to-coast network of inexpensive electric vehicle fast-charging stations is also being developed.
Walmart inaugurated 117 refurbished shops countrywide in November, the "largest single-day rollout of re-grand openings in the history of Walmart," according to a corporate announcement.
Walmart spent more than half a billion dollars on these renovations, which include new interiors and exteriors, new signs, more shopping carts, and a new checkout design.
Additionally, Walmart-owned Sam's Club is trying to increase its store base. In January 2023, the warehouse club business announced plans to open more than 30 new facilities in the United States over the next few years. The retail chain currently has roughly 600 shops across the country.