WALMART has thousands of supercenters across the US as millions of Americans buy groceries from the retail giant.
But a store near the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta made headlines when it opened in 2013.
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A Walmart store near the Georgia Institute of Technology spanned just 2,500 square feetPhoto credit: Walmart
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Shoppers could pick up essential items at the store before it closed in 2015Photo credit: Walmart
The 2,500-square-foot outlet was dubbed the “smallest Walmart ever,” before it closed in 2015, Atlanta Magazine reported.
For comparison, a Walmart store in Albany, New York, which ranks as the largest in the United States, spans at least 260,000 square feet, according to One Walmart.
Students were able to snag an array of items ranging from ice cream, shampoos and cold cuts available at the Atlanta branch.
One told Atlanta Magazine, “I’m pretty sure they have almost anything I would buy.”
Customers could stock up on essential items while indulging in beauty products and frozen foods.
Ahead of the store opening, Walmart spokesman Steven Restivo said, “Customers associate Walmart with a wide range of products.
“We want to make sure we deliver on that promise, whether the store is 150,000 square feet or 2,500 square feet.”
But the store, nicknamed “Smallmart” by students, closed its doors just two years after opening.
Pharmacist Carla Gillespie-Berry told student newspaper The Technique: “We didn’t have any back room storage areas and there wasn’t any cooler space in the back.”
She announced that she would receive the stock from the Supercenter and needed to bring it forward.
The employee claimed: “The way we received our goods was completely different from the way [Walmart] Stores usually receive goods.”
Gillespie-Berry added: “It wasn’t that we weren’t having success and we loved being here – we just needed more space.”
‘SMALL MARKET’
Shoppers were devastated by the closure of the store.
Former student Emma Smith revealed the tiny Walmart is convenient for teens who can’t afford to park their cars on campus.
She told The Technique that the students had come a long way to the nearest Publix store.
Meanwhile, a Walmart store on the University of Arkansas campus in Fayetteville is among the smallest outlets in the United States.
The outlet, which opened for the first time in 2011, covers a little more than 3,300 square meters.
It’s about 2 percent the size of a standard Walmart supercenter.
The Arkansas campus outlet relaunched in 2019 after several changes in the business.
Randy Sterling, the store manager, told the university that a self-service checkout machine had been installed and a mobile pharmacy was now available.
There are also lockers where students’ online orders are kept before they are picked up.
Sterling added that more on-the-go snacks were also made available.
He added: “Our fresh selection has expanded and now includes salads, sandwiches, lunch meats and more.
“We’re opening with a new self-checkout feature and an exciting new Walmart pickup locker system that will reduce in-store wait times for students who have placed orders online and are coming to collect those items.
“Our business will continue to offer a full pharmacy service with free on-campus prescription delivery and the best customer service.”
According to the Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, students can take items such as lightbulbs, electronic devices, and bike locks.
Former student Lukas Malone was thrilled when the store opened its doors.
He called the event the “greatest thing that had happened on campus,” the outlet reported.
Meanwhile, Redditors have claimed that the smallest Walmart exists in Ballinger, Texas.
While other shoppers in Piedmont, Missouri have claimed to have seen the smallest Walmart store.
Meanwhile, The US Sun reported how a Walmart store in Pennsylvania was outfitted with interactive technology designed to improve the customer experience.
The store was unveiled on Friday, January 13, WFMZ reported.
Digital screens and displays have been installed and shoppers can access multiple QR codes scattered throughout the store.
The store’s in-house vision center and pharmacy have also been updated.
And shoppers can now pick up their online grocery orders without leaving their car.
Last November, Walmart opened a remodeled store in Ohio that featured showrooms, revamped digital displays, and Claire’s outlet.
The Beavercreek location is intended to serve as a prototype for future Walmart stores.
The US Sun has reached out to Walmart for comment.
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