Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. : Irwin Walmart Welcomes Shoppers to New Store

New Walmart provides nearly 300 jobs

IRWIN, Pa., Jan. 18, 2012 - A new Walmart opens this month in Irwin, bringing nearly 300 new jobs, savings for local shoppersan increase in tax revenue to support the area's economy. Nonprofit organizations will also benefit from the retailer's ongoing charitable contributionssupport for community projects. The Walmart, located at 915 Mills Drive, will be open to customers at 7 a.m., Wednesday, Jan. 25 after a brief ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Economic Impact Includes Nearly 300 New Jobs

The new Irwin Walmart will employ approximately 300 associates, according to store manager JoAnna Kubasky. Nineteen of the store's associates have worked for Walmart for more than 10 years. Kubasky is a Pennsylvania native who began her Walmart career in 2002 as an intern before becoming an assistant manager at the Mt. Pleasant Walmart.

Store Designed to Improve Customer Experience

In recent months, Walmart has taken major steps to refresh its stores, merchandisingcustomer experience. The improvements have all come together in the company's newest stores, such as the Irwin Walmart, with fast service, a friendly shopping experienceclean stores.

The new Walmart features wide aisles, enhanced servicea layout designed to make the shopping experience more convenient for customers. Walmart aligned the departments that customers shop most frequently. The , for example, is adjacent to food making it easier for customers to pick up their prescriptions while shopping for their groceries.

"The layout of the store is easy to navigate, which will save our customers time as they shop for everyday necessities," said Kubasky. "By grouping the products that our customers most often purchase, including healthbeautypet supplies, we are making one-stop shopping even easier."

A bright interior color palette creates an inviting shopping experiencehelps define the store's merchandise areas. Lower shelving creates an improved sightlinedirectional signage on every aisle helps customers find what they are looking for quickly.

Store Design Incorporates Environmentally Friendly Features

The Irwin Walmart, like all new Walmart stores, includes energy-efficient technologyenvironmentally friendly features to reduce energywater consumptionminimize waste. The store's skylights harvest daylightreduce the amount of energy required to light the store by up to 75 percent daily. LED lighting in the store operates 70 percent more efficiently than traditional fluorescent lighting.

Low-flow toiletsfaucets reduce the water used in the bathrooms. The new store also operates a recycling programwill promote sustainable product purchases.

Ribbon-Cutting Celebration 7 a.m., Jan. 25

Communitybusiness leaders will join Walmart associates at 7 a.m., Wednesday, Jan. 25 for a brief ribbon-cutting ceremony. Katie Kratzenberg, a student from Norwin High School will perform the national anthemthe Irwin Boy Scout Troop will present the colors. Store associates will cut the ribbon to the new store.

Grant Presentations 6 p.m., Jan. 24

Store associates will award several grants to local nonprofit organizations during a reception at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 24. Reportersphotographers are welcome. Among the grant recipients:

• Norwin Chamber of Commerce, $5,000
• Westmoreland County Community College, $2,500
• Irwin Volunteer Fire Department, $2,000
• Rotary Club of Norwin, $2,000 (with $1,000 dedicated for hunger issues)
• The Irwin Project, $2,000
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Laurel Region, $1,500

In addition to these store-level grants, the Greater Pittsburgh Council of Boy Scouts will receive a $50,000 grant awarded through the Walmart Foundation's State Giving Program. The funding will support the council's "Scouting for Food" campaign, now in its 25th year, to feed needy people throughout southwestern Pennsylvania.

To be considered for support, perspective grantee organizations must submit applications through the Walmart Foundation State Giving Program's online grant application. Applicants must have a current 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status in order to meet the program's minimum eligibility criteria. Additional information about the program's funding guidelinesapplication process are available online at

About Walmart
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT) serves customersmembers more than 200 million times per week at over 9,600 retail units under 69 different banners in 28 countries. With fiscal year 2011 sales of $419 billion, Walmart employs 2.1 million associates worldwide. Walmart continues to be a leader in sustainability, corporate philanthropyemployment opportunity. Additional information about Walmart can be found by visiting .

FACT SHEET
Irwin Walmart Store facts

• Location: 915 Mills Drive, Irwin, Pa.
• 152,926-square-foot Walmart
• Store opens at 7 a.m., Wednesday, Jan. 25, immediately following a brief ribbon-cutting ceremony
• Store manager: JoAnna Kubasky
• Open 24 hours a day, seven days a week

Store features

• Full line of groceries, including a bakery, a deli serving fresh foodmeal solutions for moms, meatdairy products,fresh produce
• More than 30 merchandise departments such as apparelaccessories, a lawngarden center, healthbeauty aids,an expanded electronics department
• , digital photo processing centera Walmart Connect Center
• Leased areasservices include a SmartStyle Family Hair Salona Subway restaurant

Employment

• Store plans to employ approximately 300 associates
• The average wage at Walmart for full-time hourly associates in Pennsylvania is approximately $12.30 per hour*
• Walmart's benefit program is available to eligible full-part-time associatesprovides a variety of affordable healthwell-being benefits including medical insurance with no lifetime maximum. Walmart also offers matching 401(k) contributions of up to 6 percent of pay, discounts on general merchandise for store associates, an Associate Stock Purchase Programcompany-paid life insurance. Additionally, eligible associates receive a quarterly incentive based on store performance.

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