Westside Welcomes New Wal-Mart Neighborhood Market

Store offers local favorites at Wal-Mart prices, donates $34,000 to area organizations

EL PASO, Texas, Feb., 2008 – It won’t take long for residents in west El Paso to feel right at home in their new Wal-Mart Neighborhood Market on North Resler. When the store opens Feb. 13, customers will see familiar faces among the associates and find their favorite brands on every aisle. As part of its commitment to the community, the store will announce $34,000 in grants to local organizations, including a $14,000 donation to area schools.

Doors to the new store will open Wednesday, Feb. 13, at 8:30 a.m., following an 8 a.m. grand opening ceremony. The store is located at 951 N. Resler.

The Resler Neighborhood Market is located in a former grocery store that closed several years ago. Wal-Mart completely remodeled the 55,238-square-foot store, upgrading the exterior, renovating the interior and adding environmentally friendly fixtures. Community leaders hope the store sparks an economic boost to the surrounding neighborhood, and nearby businesses are anticipating a surge in the number of shoppers coming back to the area.

A Focus on Community Needs
Wal-Mart stores nationwide traditionally award grants at their grand openings to deserving community groups and charitable organizations, underscoring Wal-Mart’s giving philosophy of operating globally and giving back locally. The new El Paso store has selected eight organizations to receive grand opening grants, and the bulk of the funds will support broad-based education initiatives in the surrounding community.

The El Paso Independent School District will receive $14,000 in grants to be shared by four schools near the store. At Kohlberg Elementary and Franklin High schools, the funds will support after-school tutoring and homework assistance programs, while a grant to Brown Middle School will be used to purchase instructional supplies and teaching materials. Bowie High School will also receive a check increasing funds for Saturday school credit recovery classes. Franklin High School booster clubs will use their grants to purchase a new scoreboard for the baseball field and uniforms and equipment for the basketball team. EDITOR’S NOTE: A total of $34,000 in grants will be distributed.. For a full listing of recipients, please see page three.

“We know that financial support to our local organizations makes a real difference, and we will play a role in continuing Wal-Mart’s commitment to the El Paso community,” Store Manager Jose Marquez said. “Like all Wal-Mart stores, our store will work with organizations to provide support and community grants throughout the year.”

Neighborhood Convenience
Designed as a convenient family shopping center, the Wal-Mart Neighborhood Market will provide the local community another destination for groceries at the Wal-Mart value price.

The store will stock an extensive selection of Hispanic-oriented specialty foods, including menudo mix, chorizo, sopas, pastries, chilies, seasonings and fresh spices. Customers will be able to purchase rice and beans in bulk as an added convenience.

“Our customers will be able to find familiar brands and local products at the Wal-Mart price, right in their own neighborhood,” said Marquez. “Whether it’s fresh chilies for a family recipe or specialty products from our health and beauty department, our philosophy is to be the ‘Store of the Community,’ bringing the products our customers prefer and need at low prices.”

It features a complete line of groceries including bakery goods, frozen foods, meat and dairy products, fresh produce and a variety of organic offerings. The store also has a full deli offering rotisserie chicken, popcorn chicken and a wide variety of fresh prepared foods including sandwiches and salads. Customers can pick up decorated cakes, freshly made pastries and breads in the bakery.

Those needing Valentine’s Day gifts will find the store a true time-saver, with its selection of cards, fresh flowers, boxed candy, stuffed animals and other gifts. The store’s infant department has an expanded merchandise selection, including clothing, accessories and gift items. A pharmacy, cosmetics, toiletries, beer and wine, stationery, paper goods and hardware items are also available. Customers can print their own digital photos at the store or drop off film to be processed. It will be open 24 hours and will have nine full-service and four self-service check-out lanes.

Grand Opening Celebration 8 a.m., Feb. 13
The store welcomes the community to attend its celebration at 8 a.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 13. Father Pablo Matta, pastor of the nearby St. Jude Catholic Church, will offer the benediction. Students from Kohlberg Elementary School will sing the national anthem, and members of the Franklin High School Junior ROTC will present the colors. Marquez and other members of the store management team will cut the ribbon to the new store. Several local officials are scheduled to attend the celebration. Throughout the day, customers will be able to enjoy live mariachi music, games, product samples and giveaways. Shrek and Chester Cheetah are among the characters scheduled to make an appearance at the store. The celebration continues Feb. 15-17 with more mariachi music, character appearances and special activities.

Store to Open With 125 New Associates
Upon opening, the store plans to employ approximately 125 associates. “Career opportunities, good benefits and lasting friendships are just a few of the positive aspects of becoming a Wal-Mart associate,” Marquez said. He is among the 76 percent of store managers at Wal-Mart who started as an hourly associate. He joined the company in 1989, pushing carts at another El Paso store while he was still in high school. Four other associates have worked for the retailer for more than 10 years.

Wal-Mart benefits – available to eligible full- and part-time associates – include healthcare insurance with no lifetime maximum. Wal-Mart also offers a 401(k) plan and profit sharing contributions, whether an associate contributes or not, store discount cards, company performance-based bonuses, stock purchase program and life insurance.