Walmart has thousands of giant supercenters across the United States, as millions of Americans use the retailer for their grocery purchases.
But when a store near Georgia Tech in Atlanta opened in 2013, it made headlines.
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At just 2,500 square feet, the store was dubbed “the smallest Walmart ever” until it closed in 2015, reports Atlanta Magazine.
By comparison, Walmart’s store in Albany, New York is believed to be the largest in the United States, covering at least 260,000 square feet, according to One Walmart.
Students were able to pick up a variety of products available at Atlanta outlets, including ice cream, shampoo, and ham.
As one told Atlanta Magazine:
Customers could pamper themselves with beauty products and frozen foods while stocking up on essentials.
Ahead of the opening, Walmart spokesperson Stephen Restivo said:
“Whether our store is 150,000 square feet or 2,500 square feet, we want to make sure we deliver on that promise.”
However, this store, nicknamed “Small Mart” by students, closed just two years after opening.
Pharmacist Carla Gillespie-Berry told The Technique student newspaper:
She revealed that she had to receive the stock from Supercenter and bring it forward.
Staff said: [Walmart] The store usually picks up the goods. ”
Gillespie-Berry adds:
“Small Mart”
Shoppers have been devastated amid store closures.
Former student Emma Smith revealed that a small Walmart is convenient for young people who can’t afford to park their car on campus.
She told The Technique that students had to walk a long way to the nearest Publix store.
Meanwhile, Walmart’s store on the campus of the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville is one of the smallest in the United States.
The outlet, which first opened in 2011, is just over 3,300 square feet.
This is about 2% the size of a standard Walmart Supercenter.
The on-campus Arkansas outlet reopened in 2019 after a few in-store changes.
Store manager Randy Sterling told the university that self-checkout machines have been installed and mobile pharmacies are now available.
We also have lockers to store students’ online orders before they are collected.
Sterling added that more portable snacks are now available as well.
He added:
“We are reopening with a new self-checkout feature and an exciting new Walmart Pickup Locker system that reduces wait times in-store for students ordering online and picking up those items.
“Our store will continue to offer full pharmacy services, with free prescription drug delivery on campus and the best customer service.”
Students can get light bulbs, electronics, bike locks and more, according to the Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
Former student Lucas Malone was thrilled when the store first opened its doors.
He branded the event the “greatest thing” that happened on campus, the outlet reported.
Meanwhile, Redditors claim the smallest Walmart is in Ballinger, Texas.
Other shoppers in Piedmont, Missouri, claim to have seen the smallest Walmart store.
Meanwhile, the US Sun reported how Walmart stores in Pennsylvania are equipped with interactive technology designed to improve the customer experience.
The store was announced on Friday, January 13, reports WFMZ.
Equipped with digital screens and displays, shoppers can access several QR codes scattered throughout the store.
The in-store vision center and pharmacy have also been updated.
And shoppers can now pick up their grocery orders online without leaving their cars.
Last November, Walmart launched refurbished stores in Ohio with showrooms, revamped digital displays and Claire outlets.
The Beaver Creek site is said to have been used as a prototype for future Walmart stores.
The US Sun has reached out to Walmart for comment.
