Attention, Monmouth County Walmart shoppers — the renovation of Walmart‘s Supercenter at 4900 U.S. 9 in Howell, is now complete. Walmart customers will be welcomed inside the newly transformed store Friday as part of a grand reopening celebration representing more than half a billion dollars in capital investments in local communities across 30 states.
The Howell store will mark the occasion with Walmart associates — including two who helped open the store 27 years ago — and local community leaders participating in a ribbon-cutting ceremony and community festivities.
In the past two years, Walmart has invested nearly $9 billion to upgrade more than 1,400 stores across the country. Each store’s reopening is part of Walmart’s Signature Experience, which seeks to inspire customers and provide them with a seamless, high-quality shopping experience.
During the Howell celebration, Walmart Store Manager Yvonne Angello will highlight the store’s transformations as well as the new interactive features now available to customers.
Some of the new interactive features now available to customers include:
- Activated corners: Displays are featured at the corners of home lines, baby and apparel to pull customers in and help them touch, feel and become a part of the space;
- Elevated departments: Transformed stores feature displays showcasing products that are out of their boxes so customers can imagine them fitting into their daily lives;
- Entertainment of the future: State-of-the-art electronics department with more demo stations for products;
- Reconfigured store layout: To provide more convenient access to well-shopped areas;
- New products and categories: Expanded pet department; new apparel brands like Reebok, Polo, Chaps, Sam & Libby and more; and new cosmetics lines like: Mario Badescu, By Terry, Beauty Space and Philip B.;
- Improvements at checkout: Front-end transformation that will speed up checkout time;
- Refreshed interior and exterior: Including paint and signage for easier navigation through the store;
- Lighting enhancements: New fixtures and LED lighting throughout the store; and
- Digital touchpoints: New touchpoints located throughout the store help.
“This store is a vital part of our community, providing a place for people to shop, connect and build relationships,” Angello said. “I’m proud of this store and each of our associates who work hard every day to serve our customers and communities. I’m confident our customers will love these updates and I know our associates can’t wait to welcome them.”
To reinforce Walmart’s dedication to the communities it serves, Angello and associates will present grants to local nonprofit organizations, including:
- $2,500 to the Howell Township Police Department for its annual “Shop with a Cop” event;
- $1,500 to Girls Scouts of Monmouth County;
- $1,500 to Spread Kindness of Lakewood, a local nonprofit helping those in need;
- $1,500 to United States Submarine Veterans Inc.
The celebration will begin at 8:30 a.m. and will include the presentation of colors by local veteran groups, as well as the national anthem by performers from Rebel Remix. The day will include free tastings and treats from Walmart vendors, visits from various mascots — including the famed Phillie Phanatic — plus music, fun and games.
