Walmart Neighborhood Market Coming to Kroger Site

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Story and photoshopped picture above by Hal Goodtree. Walmart Neighborhood Market in Louisville, KY down below – photo by Alex Leung.

Cary, NC – Walmart confirmed last week that it is planning to open a Walmart Neighborhood Market at the old Kroger site at the corner of NC 55 and High House Road. That same site was briefly in the news as a potential location for and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility.

Walmart Neighborhood Market

The good news: a site that’s been vacant for a while has found a new tenant. The better news: it’s not ICE.

But what’s a Walmart Neighborhood Market? From Walmart:

Walmart Neighborhood Markets offer a quick and convenient shopping experience for customers who need groceries, pharmaceuticals, and general merchandise all at our famous Every Day Low Prices.

First opened in 1998, there are now 168 Walmart Neighborhood Markets, each employing about 95 associates. A typical store is about 42,000 square feet.

Walmart Neighborhood Markets feature a wide variety of products, including:

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  • Fresh produce
  • Meat and Dairy products
  • Frozen foods
  • Dry goods and staples
  • Health and beauty aids
  • Stationery and paper goods
  • Drive-through pharmacy
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  • Deli foods
  • Bakery items
  • Canned and packaged goods
  • Condiments and spices
  • Pet supplies
  • Household supplies
  • One-hour photo center

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To put it in perspective, a Walmart Supercenter averages 185,000 square feet. The Kroger site is 57,000.

The Trend: Smaller is Better

Walmart’s expansion in Cary is part of a trend to smaller, less expensive supermarkets. The last few years have seen the success of Trader Joe’s and Aldi in Cary.

Americans are adaptable. It will be interesting to see the new concept Walmart is rolling out. Heck, I live in a nearby neighborhood – you bet I’ll be checking it out.

No opening date has been set, but stay tuned.

3 replies
  1. John C Dimmich
    John C Dimmich says:

    Harris Teeter across the street may have to sharpen up their pricing pens if they want to compete

  2. Lindsey Chester
    Lindsey Chester says:

    Looks like WalMart is trying to compete with Fresh Market. Wonder if some other grocers will go belly up after this opens?

    • Mark Howard
      Mark Howard says:

      Perhaps, but: “Competition is not only the basis of protection to the consumer, but is the incentive to progress.” Props to Herbert Hoover on that one … ;^) On the other hand, as it is with many things, you can take that whole concept a bit too far, and Walmart has certainly demonstrated a penchant for doing that IMHO.

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