Walmart Investing $9B to Upgrade 1,400 Stores; Grand Re-Openings Await Customers

Walmart Inc. announced that it will be investing more than $9 billion in the renovations of stores across the United States. The outlets will be upgraded to make them better and make shopping more pleasurable for customers.

Walmart is spending billions in the course of two years, which is the period for the renovations that will modernize its U.S. stores. The retail chain said it has widened product selections, enhanced the floor layouts, and added new technologies and equipment to its outlets.

Relaunch of Walmart's New Modern Look

According to Reuters, the company will relaunch its 117 stores located in 30 states. These will showcase the stores' improvements and take up over $500 million from the total allotted investments.

All in all, Walmart is upgrading over 1,400 out of its 4,717 stores throughout the country. Then again, the firm's spokesperson clarified that the remodeling project does not include its Sam's Club warehouse club chain.

Stores of the Future Concept

The retailer is transforming its stores as it also wants to change its image. From a discount store, it now wants to be a destination where customers can also shop for stylish clothes and home goods.

Walmart also tested some new concept stores as part of its push for transformation. It tested some remodeled concept outlets dubbed the "Stores of the Future" at some Walmart Supercenters earlier this year.

The management said the concept was successful as it showed increased same-store sales. Now, this concept is being rolled out nationwide with the $9 billion investment.

"This week is a great example, as we celebrate the re-grand opening of 117 remodeled stores across the country, an investment of more than half a billion dollars in 30 states," Hunter Hart, Senior Vice President, Walmart Realty, said in a statement. "For us, this is a huge deal."

He added, "It is the largest single-day rollout of re-grand openings in the history of Walmart, and while massive in its own right, this week's events are but a tile in the mosaic we have invested over $9 billion in the past two years to upgrade more than 1,400 stores across the country."

Hart further said that each store has been designed to offer a more modern shopping experience and "improve the lives of our associates and customers from the moment they step into the new space."

Photo by: Walmart Newsroom