Wal-Mart Prototype Not Much Smaller

CBS.Marketwatch.com reported on Jan. 26 that Wal-Mart Stores Inc. had opened a new, smaller prototype Supercenter in Tampa, Fla.

But Keith Morris, a spokesman for the real estate division of the world’s largest retailer, said the new 99,000-SF store is only 11,000 SF smaller than many existing Supercenters, which sell groceries along with items Wal-Mart has traditionally sold at its discount stores. Wal-Mart has been phasing the discount stores out in favor of Supercenters.

Although some Supercenters are 200,000 SF, Morris said Wal-Mart has at least 25 Supercenters that are 110,000 SF in size. Most of those are in small towns.

CBS said Wal-Mart might be able to build the smaller Supercenters in cities where zoning laws would prevent construction of a 200,000-SF store. A 99,000-SF Supercenter also might be practical for urban and suburban areas of California, where Wal-Mart is planning a major expansion of stores.

Wal-Mart’s smallest stores, called Wal-Mart Neighborhood Markets, are 40,000 SF and also sell groceries.