Wal-Mart is continuing to keep value and convenience close to home for Mobile residents with the opening of a new Neighborhood Market.

Store’s Easy Access Caters to Neighbors and Commuters Alike

MOBILE, Ala., June 2008 – Wal-Mart is continuing to keep value and convenience close to home for Mobile residents with the opening of a new Neighborhood Market. The new store will bring easy and convenient shopping and savings to both neighbors and commuters. Located at 6350 Cottage Hill Road in the Carriage Towne shopping center, the Wal-Mart Neighborhood Market will celebrate its opening on Wednesday, June 25 with a special ceremony at 7:30 and doors open for business at 8 a.m.

“Our location offers a convenient stop for those commuting from work downtown to their homes in west Mobile,” said Store Manager Susan Clinton. “We’re excited to offer customers an opportunity to save time and money with our convenient and easy to shop format.”

The 39,000-square-foot store will be open from 6 a.m. until 11 p.m. daily and offers residents a convenient place to pick up everyday items such as fresh food and prescriptions. Customers will be able to select from a full line of groceries, including produce, deli and bakery items, meat, frozen foods and locally sourced products such as Azalea City Seafood and Gumbo. The store will also sell beer and wine.

The store’s pharmacy has two drive-through lanes and will offer Wal-Mart’s expanded $4 prescription program to help local residents save money on their healthcare needs. The $4 prescriptions are now available for most commonly treated medical conditions.

Grand Opening Grants Benefit Local Schools
In celebration of the grand opening, the store will present $18,000 from the Wal-Mart Foundation to local community groups. Most of the grants will go to local schools or groups with an educational focus. The Boys and Girls Clubs of South Alabama will receive $5,000 to fund an after-school adolescent literacy program, an initiative that Wal-Mart has supported nationwide.

“The Boys and Girls Clubs of South Alabama is very grateful to the new Wal-Mart Neighborhood Market,” Executive Director Mary S. Zoghby said. “Wal-Mart has long been a very good friend to this organization and we thank the company for continuing its generosity.”

Other grants will be awarded to four area schools to help purchase materials and supplies for academic clubs as well as specialized training for teachers. Wal-Mart is one of the largest corporate contributors to education-related initiatives. Last year, the company provided more than $67 million to support teacher recognition programs, scholarships, educational programs and local schools and universities. The company also supports programs that improve graduation rates and adolescent literacy.

“We wanted our grand opening grants to reflect Wal-Mart’s national giving initiatives on a local level,” said Clinton. “As a neighborhood store, we are glad that we are able to help the schools right here in the Hillcrest community where our customers and our associates live.”

Wal-Mart stores have funds available throughout the year to distribute to local organizations that have a positive effect on the community. For more information, contact the store manager.

Store Opening Creates 85 Planned New Jobs
Clinton said that the new store will employ approximately 85 associates, and the majority of those jobs are full-time positions. The national average wage at Wal-Mart for full-time hourly associates is $10.83 per hour.* Wal-Mart benefits are available to eligible full- and part-time associates -- including 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.

Environmentally Friendly Features Promote Sustainability
Like all new Wal-Mart stores, the Mobile Neighborhood Market was designed with features that reduce energy 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.

The concrete flooring is made of recycled material that does not require harsh chemicals to clean. Water flow in the store’s bathrooms is regulated through the use of sensor-activated faucets in the sinks and high-efficiency toilets and urinals that regulate water flow and reduce consumption, and turbines in the faucets actually generate the electricity that powers those sensors. The new store is also committed to offering products that are affordable and sustainable.