Walmart push to remodel stores comes to South Jersey

BURLINGTON TWP. — A statewide remodeling push by Walmart has come to South Jersey with the makeover of a store here.The retail giant celebrated extensive changes at its Route 541 business with a “grand re-opening” ceremony on Friday morning.

The 8 a.m. event also was a party for employees and early shoppers, offering cake and pastries, fruit and freebies.

"I think it's nice," one shopper, Hali Richardson of Willingboro, said as she wheeled a shopping cart with her purchases through the parking lot.

"They had more people, more cashiers. Everything went together really well."

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Walmart in August 2023 announced a two-year, $75 million program to upgrade 11 of its 70 stores in New Jersey over a two-year period.

It’s completed makeovers at two stores in Bergen County and one each in Hudson and Monmouth counties, a spokesman said.

More conversions are expected next year in South Jersey, but those locations have not been disclosed.

What's new at Walmart store?

Despite Friday's "re-opening," the Walmart here — a "supercenter" with a full grocery — stayed open during its upgrade.

Among the changes: Expanded departments, including food/dairy and pets; new brands in apparel and other areas, and layout changes for better access to “well-shopped” areas, Walmart said in a statement.

In addition, Walmart said its “flagship” stores display products out of their boxes “so customers can imagine them fitting into their daily lives.”

And a “front-end transformation” allows shoppers to make purchases more quickly with a combination of self-service lanes and staffed registers. Four lanes are set aside for customers in the Walmart+ members club.

In its announcement last year, Walmart also said “digital touchpoints” throughout flagship stores can provide information to customers through video screens and QR codes.

In the pets area, for instance, customers can scan a QR code “to find additional dog bed options, learn about Walmart’s pet insurance service options or have a 20-pound bag of kibble delivered to their door,” the company said.

The Burlington Township store also has fresh paint, new signs and upgraded lighting “for better line-of-sight and easier navigation,” the company said.

Walmart also has enlarged the pharmacy, now at the front of the store, and updated the vision center.

Jim Walsh is a senior reporter with the Courier-Post, Burlington County Times and The Daily Journal. Email: Jwalsh@cpsj.com.