Walmart Announces Major Growth Plans With 150 New Stores Coming By 2029
Standing as the world's largest retailer, Walmart currently operates more than 4,600 locations across the United States. Now, the Arkansas-based company is looking to expand its U.S. footprint even further.
Yesterday, Walmart announced plans to build or convert more than 150 stores over the next five years. This is a shift in the company's growth strategy, as Walmart said back in 2016 that it would slow down store openings to focus on its online sales, aiming to better compete with Amazon, according to the Associated Press. The retailer hasn't opened a new store since 2021.
Over the next 12 months, Walmart plans to remodel 650 stores across 47 states and Puerto Rico, which the company said "will create tens of thousands of jobs." The first new additions will be Neighborhood Markets slated to open this spring. These stores will be located in Santa Rosa Beach, Fla., and Atlanta, Ga.
Walmart also noted that it's finalizing construction plans on 12 new projects, which it aims to start this year. The retailer will convert one smaller location into a Walmart Supercenter, as well.
The new and remodeled Walmart stores will showcase the company's "Store of the Future" concept. This modern store design includes improved layouts, expanded product selections, and innovative technology, according to Walmart's announcement.
The new stores will also "be designed with sustainability in mind," and have features like energy-efficient equipment and lower-impact refrigerants. A coast-to-coast network of affordable electric vehicle fast-charging stations is also in the works.
Back in November, Walmart opened 117 remodeled stores nationwide, which represented the "largest single-day rollout of re-grand openings in the history of Walmart," according to an announcement from the company. Walmart invested more than half a billion dollars in these remodels, which feature upgrades like refreshed interiors and exteriors, new signs, more shopping carts, and a new checkout design.
Additionally, Walmart-owned Sam's Club is looking to expand its store footprint. In January 2023, the warehouse club chain announced plans to open over 30 new locations across the U.S. over the next several years. The retail chain currently operates nearly 600 stores nationwide.