Might the Walmart Supercenter on Northside Drive get the full inside remodel Bulloch County residents have hoped for practically since it opened in the late 1990s?
While no confirmation of any plans for specific stores was announced Thursday, the nation’s largest private employer did say it would to remodel 650 stores in the next 12 months across 47 states.
The remodeled stores would reflect Walmart’s new concept, featuring improved layouts, expanded product selections and new technology to help workers better help customers and make shopping more convenient, the company said.
Originally opened in Statesboro as a Walmart store in 1984, it was expanded and added a grocery section in 1997 to become a Walmart Supercenter. Walmart opened a smaller Neighbor-hood Market store in Statesboro’s Market District in December 2014.
While the 190,000 square-foot Supercenter underwent a four-month renovation in 2010 that included a new front, the majority of the indoor makeover involved reorganizing departments, updating shelving and new refrigeration and freezer units. It did not include fully modernizing the store.
The Statesboro Supercenter remains a top performer among the approximately 4,100 Walmart’s across the U.S. A company spokesperson said a list of stores scheduled for remodeling in the 2024 had not been finalized.
In a memo shared Thursday with The Associated Press, John Furner, president and CEO of Walmart's U.S. division, said that the first two new stores under the initiative, both Neighborhood Markets, are set to open later this spring in Atlanta and Santa Rosa Beach, Florida. It's also finalizing construction plans on 12 new store projects to start this year, along with converting one of its smaller locations to a Walmart Supercenter. Supercenters run about 180,000 square feet and sell everything from oranges to clothing to TV sets.
The Associated Press reported Walmart plans to build 12 new store and convert 150 current stores, which marks a big change for the discounter. In 2016, Walmart said it was slowing new store openings and instead investing in its online efforts, technology and store remodels as it aimed to be more competitive with Amazon. A company spokeswoman said the discounter hadn't opened a new store since November 2021.
The news comes as the Bentonville, Arkansas-based chain, like many other retailers, is relying more on its physical stores to fulfill online orders and use them as online pickup locations.