Bigger is better in Texas

Discount Store News, June 7, 1999 by Debbie Howell

Everything's bigger in Texas, or so natives like to say. That means bigger yards, bigger homes and bigger adult toys, especially trucks.

It's no surprise, therefore, that the Wal-Mart in Lancaster that reopened as a supercenter is among the largest in the state at 234,000 sq. ft.

With all that extra space, store associates were going all out in stocking the biggest toys for Texans, from $999 Murray gocarts to multiple aisles of aboveground pools and swimming supplies to a dozen different patio furniture sets. A full aisle of truck bed boxes selling for $40 to $200 took up the entire side of one aisle, while in the lawn & garden department, Texas-based Beckett brand garden fountains and accessories were stocked due to customer requests. Other big-ticket items in abundance were higher-end gas grills, riding lawn mowers and birdbath fountains.

"This year we are really going after the lawn & garden business and buying and having what the customers want," said store manager Brad Mullen.

The supercenter, which expanded from a 127,000-sq.-ft. discount store to add a food center, now has wider aisles and extra shelf space to merchandise products customers want, such as the truck boxes and swimming pools. In addition to offering wider selections in just about every department, Mullen said the store also is trying to cater to its ethnic customers' needs. Examples include a special Mexican spice and food display in produce and a large selection of African-American haircare products in H&BC.

According to the Lancaster Chamber of Commerce, African-Americans make up 26.2% of the population within a three-mile radius of the store, while Hispanics comprise 7.5%.

In Lancaster, a city of 23,400 that is a suburb less than a half-hour's drive south of Dallas, 98% of residents own their own homes, which cost an average of $73,000, according to city statistics. The Chamber reports median household income within a 3-mile radius of the store of $60,263. The average resident's age is 32, and the average household size is 2.77.

Because it's located right off a major Texas highway--Interstate 35--the store attracts more than just Lancaster residents. Dallasites as well as people who live in the nearby suburbs of Duncanville and DeSoto are frequent patrons as well.

With such a varied customer base, the store tries to satisfy the big-toy whims of its more affluent visitors while also providing basic value in food and household product choices.

In food, the most obvious example of micromerchandising to the store's market demo graphics is the Mexican spice display in the center of the produce department. The display features a wide range of bulk and packaged peppers and spices not found at many Wal-Marts, from ancho peppers for $4.88/lb. to packs of dried' shrimp and nopales (cactus leaves). Pinatas adorned the' top of the display, while tamale husks and tortillas were positioned on both ends.

The Mexican foods aisle included Spanish-language variations of standards such as coffee, cream and cornstarch. An assortment of small Mexican candies and toys under the brand El Barrilito also was on the shelf, which co-manager Darryl Hatcher said few if any other Wal-Marts carry.

Appealing to the musical' tastes of ethnic customers was a hallmark of the home entertainment department, which featured a large selection of "Musica Latina" CDs and a prominent rap & soul section. In H&BC, an extensive line of haircare products for African-Americans got major shelf space, while in the first aid aisle darker-colored bandages called Ebon-Aide were prominent.

Products that appeal to all Texans, many of which wouldn't be found in another state, or at least not to the same extent, also stood out.

In food, barbecue products took center stage, with a mainaisle display of grill lighters and charcoal briquettes, barbecue sauce, paper plates and plastic utensils. Spare ribs selling for $1.08 lb. took up a large end section of a freezer case.

The distinctive Texas cowboy look could be found in men's apparel, which featured cowboy hats, western belts, Wrangler jeans and western-style shirts. Cowboy boots and work boots were prominent in the shoe department.

While many sports are popular in Texas, one of the biggest is fishing. The sporting goods department had a wide range of fishing lures and supplies and even had a bass pro expert 'on hand during the grand opening to give customers tips. The 5.12-lb. bass that the pro caught in a nearby Lake Ray Hubbard was swimming in an aquarium above the rod display, while videos on either 'side showed fishing footage.

Hardware, automotive and lawn & garden also had huge selections to meet the demands of Lancaster-area homeowners.

Hatcher said that for seniors in the store's market area, crafts is a big draw. That's why the store varied from the standard format in not placing that department in a back corner, but directly to the rear of the store at the end of the main general merchandise aisle.

As Wal-Mart always does, it likes to test new ways to sell products. To promote its private-label foods, the store featured one side of an entire aisle with Great Value food products, from potato chips to hamburger buns and baked beans. Colorful twisted swirls of purple and yellow balloons above the aisle spotlighted the section.