Introduction
Walmart, the world’s largest retailer, has announced that it will be closing six stores across the United States starting next week. This news comes as a surprise to many, as Walmart has been expanding its presence in the retail market in recent years. The closures are part of a larger effort to streamline operations and focus on more profitable stores. This article will provide an overview of the six stores that will be closing, as well as the reasons behind the decision.
Walmart to Close 6 Stores Starting Next Week
Walmart has announced that it will be closing six stores across the United States starting next week. The stores, located in California, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and Texas, will be closed due to “underperformance.”
The closures come as Walmart continues to focus on its e-commerce operations and shift away from brick-and-mortar stores. The company has been closing stores in recent years as it looks to streamline its operations and focus on its online presence.
Walmart has not yet released the names of the stores that will be closing, but it is expected that the closures will take place over the next few weeks. The company has said that it will provide assistance to employees affected by the closures.
The closures come as Walmart continues to face increased competition from Amazon and other online retailers. Walmart has been investing heavily in its online operations in recent years, and the closures are part of its strategy to focus on its digital presence.
Walmart has been a major player in the retail industry for decades, and the closures are a sign of the changing times. The company is looking to focus on its online operations and shift away from brick-and-mortar stores.
With more than 10,500 stores across 24 countries, Walmart continues to be one of the most profitable companies in the world. But despite its stronghold on the retail industry, not all of its locations have been meeting the retailer’s goals.
This week, the Arkansas-based superstore chain announced that it will be closing half a dozen stores across four states, with the first closure slated to take place next week.
On Feb. 17, Walmart will be shutting the doors of its pickup-only location in Lincolnwood, Ill., with the company telling CBS 2 that the “decision was not made lightly and was reached only after a thorough review process.”
“As this is a pickup and delivery only location, we have taken what we learned from this location and made it part of how we operate Pick-up and Delivery from our surrounding stores,” the company said.
Following the Lincolnwood closure, Walmart will be shutting down two more stores in the Chicago area—one in Homewood and another in Plainfield. According to the retailer, the stores will be ceasing operations by March 10, because they were not meeting financial expectations. “There is no single cause for why a store closes and our decision is based on several factors.”
One shopper told Fox 32 Chicago that the move is a “big hit to the community” because of Walmart’s affordable prices, while others said the store was “always busy.”
Another location closing by March 10 is Walmart’s Silver Spring Drive store in Milwaukee, Wis. and its San Mateo store in Albuquerque, N.M. Walmart spokesperson Lauren Willis told the Albuquerque Journal that the company does not plan on closing any additional stores in Albuquerque.
Both of the impending closures have brought up concerns about food deserts, with Milwaukee Alderman Mark Chambers Jr. writing in a press release that he has “already begun working with the Department of City Development to identify possible replacement options.”
In the South, the superstore will be shuttering its Walmart Neighborhood Market in Pinellas Park, Fla., by March 10. As with the other closures, Walmart said the store was not meeting the company’s financial expectations, with Brian Little, Walmart’s communications director, adding that no other closures are planned in the Tampa Bay area.
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Brianna Ruback