New Arlington Supercenter Aims to Please

Store reflects local preferences through special features, architecture

ARLINGTON, Texas, May 2008 – Wal-Mart opens its newest Supercenter in southwest Arlington Wednesday, May 7, offering one-stop shopping convenience to residents in the booming area. The store opens with a big community impact, bringing 425 planned new jobs and $18,000 in donations to charitable organizations. It also signifies Wal-Mart’s ongoing commitment to reflect the preferences of the communities it serves and to conserve energy with an energy-efficient store design.

The new Supercenter is located at 4800 S. Hwy. 287 at Little Road, just south of Interstate 20, in the fast-growing area between Arlington and Kennedale. Store Manager Tim Long, a 1980 graduate of Arlington High School, remembers when pastures and countryside surrounded the area. “Just a few years ago, this area was used for farming and ranching. Now, our customers are moving out here and we want to bring convenient shopping and low prices closer to their homes,” he said.

The store was built to complement the surrounding area, with stone accents, red tile roofs over the entrances and a palette of muted desert colors. A wrought iron fence surrounds the perimeter of the parking lot, which is shaded by several mature trees and features extensive landscaping. Residents from nearby neighborhoods can easily walk or bike to the store on the concrete walking path with lights that resemble antique lanterns.

The new store was constructed with energy efficient technology and environmentally friendly features to reduce energy and water consumption and minimize waste.

The freezer cases and non-sales areas of the store have LED lights and sensors that automatically shut off the lights when those areas are unoccupied or customers are not present. LED lighting throughout the store operates 70 percent more efficiently than traditional fluorescent lighting. Customers will notice hundreds of skylights, which harvest daylight and reduce the amount of energy required to light the store by up to 75 percent daily. In addition, the cement used in the store’s concrete flooring is made with recycled materials and the floor’s finish reduces the need for chemical cleaners.

Wal-Mart Contributes $18,000 to Community Organizations
As part of Wal-Mart’s commitment to the communities in which they operate, the store is demonstrating its support of the area by contributing $18,000 to local charitable organizations. That support includes a $5,000 contribution to the Boys and Girls Clubs of Arlington to help with the organization’s after-school tutoring programs. The fire and police departments for both Arlington and Kennedale will share $10,000 in grants to buy equipment. (Editors note: For a complete list of grant recipients, please see page 3 of this release.)

“As the newest neighbor in the community, we realize financial support to local organizations helps make a real difference,” Long said. “We are thrilled to provide these grants as part of our grand opening celebration. We will continue to play a leadership role in supporting the needs of Arlington, Kennedale and neighboring communities.”

The store plans to give donations away locally throughout the year. Area organizations can contact the store to inquire about grants and opportunities to raise money outside store locations throughout the year.

New Store Brings Local Jobs, Opportunities
Approximately 425 local residents now have new jobs at the Arlington store. “It makes me proud to work for this company where there truly are unlimited opportunities,” said Long. “Many associates joined because they know they have the opportunity for a long-lasting career at Wal-Mart.”

Like three-fourths of Wal-Mart store management, Long started his own career with the company as an hourly associate. He joined the company in 1988 as a sales clerk in the garden center of another Arlington store. He is one of five of the store’s associates who have worked for Wal-Mart for more than 10 years.

One-Stop Shopping Convenience for the Entire Family
The new 203,561-square-foot Wal-Mart Supercenter features a full line of groceries, more than 30 merchandise departments and several time-saving features and services. With its location a few miles from the Rangers Ballpark in Arlington and Cowboys Stadium, the store has a special sports shop, which will sell jerseys, souvenirs and other merchandise supporting local professional teams and universities. The new Supercenter will also have a Wal-Mart MoneyCenter to assist customers who are outside of mainstream banking with convenient access to low-cost money services, including check cashing, money orders, bill payment and money transfers.

For added convenience, there will be a vision center, a pharmacy, a digital photo processing center and a Wal-Mart Connect Center for wireless phone sales. Leased areas and services include a SmartStyle Family Hair Care salon, a Regal Nails salon, a Subway restaurant and a branch of Woodforest National Bank. The store will be open 24 hours a day.

Wal-Mart Puts Customers in Charge of Economic Stimulus Spending
As economic stimulus payments begin to be distributed, Wal-Mart is giving customers the freedom to spend their dollars on what they and their families need. All Wal-Mart stores, including the new Arlington Supercenter, will cash economic stimulus checks for free – with no purchase required.

Wal-Mart has also lined up new rollbacks and additional price savings in the coming weeks on items throughout the store to help shoppers stretch their dollars.

Ribbon-cutting Celebration 7:30 a.m., May 7
Community and business leaders will join Wal-Mart associates for a brief ribbon-cutting ceremony at 7:30 a.m., Wednesday, May 7, and doors to the new store will open at 8 a.m. Throughout the day, activities will include numerous product samples, character appearances and giveaways.