THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, August 2, 1996 TAG: 9608020615
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: D1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY MELISSA GUNDEL, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: 46 lines
In its fervor to get bigger, Wal-Mart has announced plans to expand stores in Suffolk and Newport News into super centers.
The Suffolk store will grow by 71,000 square feet to 188,000 square feet. The store plans to double its staff by adding 225 jobs, the company said.
Both the Suffolk and Newport News stores should be converted and open as super centers next year. Construction on the Suffolk store is scheduled to begin this fall, the company said.
Wal-Mart Supercenters feature general merchandise departments, a grocery store and a fast-food restaurant or a snack bar. Some have automotive service areas, called Tire & Lube Express, optical centers and hair salons.
In Virginia, Wal-Mart Stores Inc. operates 38 Wal-Mart stores and 10 super centers, and employs 16,715 people. The company continues to aggressively expand in Hampton Roads and nationwide.
In February, The Virginia Beach City Council approved a Wal-Mart at Lynnhaven Parkway and Princess Anne Road. The company began converting a Wal-Mart in Hampton into a super center in the spring.
The Bentonville, Ark.-based discount retailer plans to open 60 to 70 regular Wal-Mart stores and 100 to 110 super centers nationwide. About 90 of its super centers are expansions or relocations of existing stores.
Supercenters employ about 450 people, while regular Wal-Marts have staffs of about 225.
Wal-Mart Supercenters are geared for those who prefer true one-stop shopping.
``We merchandise our stores to enable our customers to conveniently shop the entire store for general merchandise and for groceries in a convenient setting,'' said Les Copeland, spokesman for Wal-Mart.
With dual-parent working families, there's just not as much time to run errands, Copeland said.
Super centers are popular right now with Wal-Mart and its arch-competitor, Kmart.
But both chains will likely keep a mix of stores, said Gerald Divaris, president of Divaris Real Estate, a commercial real estate firm in Virginia Beach.
For example, Wal-Mart is opening smaller stores in some small-population markets, Divaris said. In some areas, opposition to big corporate chains and mega shopping centers are keeping super stores out. by CNB