Walmart Canada has opened its newest Supercentre at Edmonton Kingsway – the first new store in Alberta since 2015 as the $10-million investment has created more than 100 new jobs as well as more than 100 trade and construction positions.
The retailer said the new Supercentre, which is 149,000 square feet at Edmonton’s Kingsway Mall, replaces the Edmonton Westmount store with the new addition of a fresh food assortment. The new store is more than a third larger than the previous location and has many new features, including Walmart Grocery Pickup and Walmart Grocery Delivery.
“We are bringing the best of Walmart Canada to Kingsway Mall,” said Derreck Cuschieri, Vice President of Operations for Western Canada, Walmart Canada. “This new location has more space, more products, more services and more options for our customers. Kingsway’s close proximity to downtown Edmonton will help more people save money so they can live better. We’re proud to be investing for growth in Edmonton while creating jobs for the community.”
Walmart’s presence in Alberta dates back to 1994 and today it has 61 stores in the province, four distribution centres and more than 16,000 employees. The retailer has invested more than $80 million in Alberta store upgrades over the past two years and it recently purchased about $200 million worth of products from Alberta-based suppliers over a 12-month period.
The Edmonton Kingsway Supercentre represents a more than $10 million investment in the community. In September, Walmart Canada announced $1 billion in infrastructure investments this year, including approximately $330 million to renovate more than 80 stores across Canada. These investments are part of Walmart Canada’s aim to make the online and in-store shopping experience simpler, faster and more convenient.
“This new store is going to be a huge win for our customers,” said Store Manager Aisan Khan. “Edmontonians will appreciate the wide assortment of fresh produce available and many international food options to serve this diverse community. The Supercentre is more modern and spacious than the previous location. Our associates are thrilled with the move and we are very excited to serve our valued customers in central Edmonton.
“We are really excited for this location, especially it being so close to the downtown core. It makes it really easy for the customers from downtown . . . The Kingsway Mall is truly a one-stop shop where they have the mall, they have Walmart here for groceries as well because there’s no other retailer in the mall that’s full fledged produce, fresh and grocery.
“We’ve been talking to a lot of customers here and they’re excited. They’re excited to have this location here and also for the students right across the street at NAIT (Northern Alberta Institute of Technology). Of course looking for jobs. And we have the jobs for them. We have hired already over 120 people but now that we’re looking at it we think we need more people and we’ve opened the hiring again and we’re hiring more people.
“When you come in here you can feel that newness in the store. 2015 was the last store that was opened (in Alberta) in Calgary Sage Hill. And it’s always exciting to have a new store and opening those jobs and people right now the way things are with the economy people are looking for jobs and we are offering those jobs.”
Khan said the store features electronic shelf labels. It has a full offering of fresh with a huge bakery and produce department. When the store was set up, Walmart looked at the ethnicity and diversity in the community and there’s a full ethnic section in groceries.
New features and offerings include:
- Expansive international section including Asian, Indian, Middle Eastern, Italian and Portuguese foods, plus a dedicated international frozen food section;
- Walmart Grocery Pickup and Walmart Grocery Delivery – download the app here;
- Walmart Pharmacy that is eager to offer new and longtime patients expert advice, compassionate help on health-care issues and assistance with products, prescriptions and immunizations, including COVID-19 and flu vaccines;
- Licensees located inside the store include The UPS Store and Ultracuts. Other services include Walmart Photo Centre, Walmart Wireless and Western Union;
- Sustainable features including a transcritical CO2 refrigeration system with rejected energy being reclaimed for building heating systems, advanced building automation system for lighting and HVAC controls, LED lighting and low flow fixtures; and
- Store hours are 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day.
“We are very excited to welcome Walmart to Kingsway this fall,” said Susan Lovie, Director and General Manager of Kingsway Mall. “This Walmart will be a significant addition to the area and opens a new chapter in the development of Kingsway. We are always excited to welcome retailers that help us better serve the needs of our community, and know that Walmart offers the products and convenience that our customers look for. It will greatly add to the best-in-class shopping experience we offer at Kingsway.”
The retailer said the Edmonton Kingsway Walmart will be providing charitable support through its community giving program year-round. In 2021, Walmart Canada raised and donated more than $5.4 million for charities in Alberta. When it officially opened recently, the store donated $7,000 to local charities, including Edmonton Gleaners Association, Spruce Avenue School, Avonair Curling Club, Youth Emergency Shelter, Bent Arrow Traditional Healing Society.
Walmart Canada operates a chain of more than 400 stores nationwide serving 1.5 million customers each day.
No note about how Walmart actually closed two stores in Edmonton?
Which stores closed? (I’m no longer living in Edmonton so I’m not as aware what’s happening).