Remodeled Walmart cuts ribbon, gives donations to local groups

Walmart customers in Van Buren Township were welcomed inside the newly transformed Supercenter at 10562 Belleville Rd. on Sept. 22 with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, donations to local non profits, and unveiling of a community-inspired mural.
The event was kicked off with the playing of the National Anthem by the Belleville High School Marching Band and included the recognition of associates who have been with the company for more than 20 years, April Warner, Becky Bailey, and Jan Grant. Shay Campas and Brian Fenrich, who have been working at the local store since it opened in 2001, also received recognition.
Following the ribbon cutting, which was done by Walmart store manager Jeff Ashburn and representatives from several local non-profit organizations, vendors including Coke, Pepsi, Red Bull and Frito-Lay offered free samples to customers. In the parking lot Nikki’s Smoke Pizza, Sunny’s Sweet Treats and Kona Ice were selling some of the area’s favorite foods.
Ashburn and several associates presented $3,000 in grants to local nonprofit organizations, including:
• $500 to Friends of Michigan Animal Rescue;
• $500 to Van Buren Little League;
• $1,000 to Van Buren Shop With a Hero; and
• $1,000 to Belleville High School Band.
During the celebration, Ashburn highlighted the store’s transformations as well as the new interactive features now available to customers, including:
• Front end transformation with increased numbers of self-checkout lanes and staffed registers for customer convenience;
• Walmart+ lane for easier checkout for members;
• Added more shopping carts;
• Added a new grab and go section in grocery area for quick meal and drink options;
• Added a new dollar shop at the store entrance with seasonally relevant products;
• Updated Customer Service area;
• Expanded and relocated pharmacy with new private screening rooms for pharmacist consultations and services;
• Refreshed mother’s room for a clean, comfortable, and private option for nursing mothers;
• Vision Center experience designed around the customer;
• Larger infant area to offer more shopping space while selecting furniture, strollers, baby monitoring equipment;
• Updated apparel department with new fixtures, fitting rooms, new products lines and display mannequins;
• Vignette displays in Home Lines, Hardware, and Infants with life-size product displays for easier visualization of product lines;
• Relocated and updated electronics department with more demo products;
• Updated deli department to include fresh, hot meals;
• Updated and relocated sporting goods section;
• Relocated fabric department;
• Expanded pet department including fresh pet food selection;
• Expanded beer and wine selection and section with coolers;
• Expanded grocery pickup and delivery increasing customer stalls;
• Refreshed interior and exterior, including paint and signage, and new fixtures and LED lighting throughout the entire store; and
• Modernized, remodeled restrooms.
“Since 2001 we have been proudly serving the residents of Belleville so it’s extra special to invite the community to join us in celebrating all the improvements that have been made to their store,” Ashburn said. “We’re certain the upgrades will not only offer our customers a fresh new look, but the innovations will enhance their overall shopping experience.”
The store’s new mural that reflects some of Belleville’s culture and attractions is part of Walmart’s Community Mural Program, the largest public-facing art installation celebrating communities across America.
The store also has added digital touchpoints throughout the store to help communicate the range of products and services Walmart offers online through the use of QR codes and digital screens.