IL Walmart to open Aug. 18

INDIAN LAND – A prototype Walmart store is almost ready to open in Indian Land.

Aaron Morrison/staff photographer

Work continues on the new Walmart in Indian Land, just south of the state line on U.S. 521. The prototype supercenter is expected to open Aug. 18.

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Shoppers are getting ready for the new store, located off U.S. 521 just before the state line, to open its doors on Aug. 18. Store manager John Clevenger said Walmart will begin moving into the 180,000-square-foot building on July 12, stocking shelves and readying for the grand opening.

This will be one of Walmart’s new prototype stores, which will feature a new logo, a more natural outdoor color and a revamped in-store design.

There will be more clearance in the aisles and lower shelving. The surrounding area will also have substantial landscaping.

“It will be the best-looking Walmart in the Southeast,” Clevenger said. “And it will be the only store like it in the nation. I’m pretty excited about that part.”

The store will also focus on more organic products, including those that are fat and gluten-free, though this won’t take away from its basic selection of products, Clevenger said.

The new store will also be a supercenter, which traditionally offers more products than a regular Walmart, including produce. Typical supercenters employ between 300 and 400 people, though Clevenger said they are looking to hire about 420 employees for the Indian Land store. He said they are planning to hire more than the average amount of employees because they are projecting extremely large crowds at that location. He expects most positions will have a higher salary rate than those at surrounding Walmarts. Hiring for store positions began on May 25.

Most supercenters also feature a variety of vendors who lease spaces in the store, including fast food and retail services. Clevenger said the Indian Land location will feature a Subway restaurant, but other leases have not been finalized.

Unlike other supercenters, Clevenger said the Indian Land store will not feature a tire and lube center.

Clevenger said Walmart supercenters usually pay between $600,000 and $1 million in tax revenue per year.

Once the Indian Land store opens, Clevenger expects the store to donate money to local charitable organizations.

“We will be giving away a lot of money once the store opens,” Clevenger said. “We want to keep most of it in Indian Land.”

According to the company’s Website, Walmart first opened in 1962 in Rogers, Ark., and now serves customers more than 200 million times per week at more than 7,800 retail units in 15 countries.

The company made $401 billion in fiscal year 2009 and employs 2.1 million employees worldwide.

Contact reporter  Chris Sardelli  at csardelli@thelancasternews.com or at (803) 416-8416