Wal-Mart Huntington Beach Store Opens Today

Business Wire, Jan 28, 2002

Business Editors

HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 28, 2002

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.'s newest California location opened at 8:00 a.m. this morning at 8230 Talbert Avenue, near the corner of Beach Boulevard and Talbert Avenue in Huntington Beach. The store opening had been delayed by the City of Huntington Beach pending completion of improvements at nearby Lambert Park. Work on the park was completed over the weekend and approved by the city on Sunday. The store will be open from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. daily.

On Wednesday, January 30 at 8:30 a.m., the store will hold a Grand Opening celebration inviting organizations from the community to share in the festivities. Consistent with Wal-Mart's commitment to the communities it serves, store manager Jon Groth will distribute checks from the Wal-Mart Foundation to 40 local charitable organizations totaling $66,000.

"We will work hard to earn the trust and respect of all Huntington Beach residents, regardless of their prior feelings about having a Wal-Mart in their city," said store manager Jon Groth. "We look forward to a long and mutually beneficial relationship between our store and the City of Huntington Beach."

In addition to the charitable contributions the store will provide, the City stands to benefit from the sales tax revenue generated by the projected sales of more than $40 million per year. In addition, the Ocean View School District will benefit from the $400,000 per year in revenue generated by leasing the former Crest View School site to Wal-Mart.

In addition to the financial benefits to the community, the Huntington Beach Wal-Mart store has taken great pains to be sensitive to city requirements and neighborhood wishes. The design and orientation of the store is intended to have the least possible impact on surrounding neighbors as well as an architectural complement to commercial and residential areas.

About Wal-Mart: With annual sales of $191 billion, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. operates more than 2,700 discount stores, Supercenters and Neighborhood Markets, and more than 490 SAM'S CLUBS in the United States. Internationally, the company operates more than 1,100 units. Wal-Mart employs 1.2 million associates worldwide. FORTUNE magazine has named Wal-Mart the third "most admired" company in America and one of the 100 best companies to work for in the United States, and Americans named Wal-Mart the company they think of first in supporting local causes and issues, according to Cone, Inc.