Pictured, from left to right, are Sandra Brewer, vice president of membership services, Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce; Chattanooga Mayor Andy Berke; Melissa Lee, Walmart Neighborhood Market pharmacist; Store Manager Steven Hamlet; Hamilton County Mayor Jim Coppinger.
photo by Katelyn Fish
The new Walmart Neighborhood Market in Chattanooga opened to the community on Wednesday bringing a broad assortment of fresh, affordable groceries at Walmart’s everyday low prices. Customers will also enjoy the convenience of on-site services such as a full pharmacy and fuel station and a free store pickup service providing an easy way to shop millions of products on Walmart.com. The new store will employ up to 95 full- and part-time associates.
“Chattanooga is pleased to have Walmart as a valued retailer in our community,” said Chattanooga Mayor Andy Berke. “Not only does the store bring new jobs to the community, we anticipate it will have a significant long-term economic impact by providing much-needed access to convenient, affordable fresh produce and groceries for local residents and employees.”
“We are proud to be a part of the Chattanooga community,” said store manager Steven Hamlet. “We look forward to opening and providing area residents with Walmart’s everyday low prices. We are committed to providing a clean, fast and friendly environment for our customers.”
The store offers fresh produce and meat, pantry staples and a full line of groceries from leading brands. In addition to organics and nutritious food choices, customers will also find a full-service deli and in-store bakery offering custom cakes.
The Neighborhood Market includes a pharmacy with a full range of products, immunizations and services and Walmart pharmacists ready to assist customers with product and prescription questions. Chattanooga residents can easily transfer prescriptions and order refills on the go with the Walmart mobile app. A drive thru pharmacy window makes prescription drop off and pick up quick and easy.
The store is approximately 41,000 square feet and offers a wide assortment of products to meet the needs of Chattanooga residents. Customers will find health and beauty aids, pet products and cleaning supplies.
Officials said, "Shopping is more convenient than ever as Chattanooga residents can shop seven million items on Walmart.com, many of which can be shipped for free to any Walmart store through Walmart Pickup. The Walmart mobile app for iPhone and Android makes shopping easier than ever. Customers can refill prescription medications, create shopping lists, search the location of items in their store, check weekly ads and prices, save eReceipts and shop Walmart.com through the app."
The store will employ up to 95 associates for full- and part-time positions within the store. Applicants interested in careers at Walmart can apply at a store’s hiring kiosk or online at Walmartcareers.com. At Walmart, more than 75 percent of store management teams started as hourly associates. In 2014, 160,000 associates are promoted, and 40 percent of those promotions go to associates within the first year of their employment. Earlier this year Walmart announced it would be making more than a $1 billion investment in higher wages and training and other enhancements for its associates.
The grand-opening celebration included presentations of $1,000 in grants from Walmart and the Walmart Foundation to local community groups. The new store will also continue a commitment by Walmart and the Walmart Foundation to fight hunger in Chattanooga and across the U.S. Walmart and the Walmart Foundation recently exceeded a $2 billion goal to fight hunger one year ahead of schedule and have donated more than 1.5 billion pounds of food to those in need across the country.
In addition to Wednesday’s grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony, local residents are invited to A Big Family Welcome on Saturday. The event will give customers a chance to meet Hamlet and enjoy fun family activities and free food samples while supplies last. The celebration will be from noon to 3 p.m.