Exciting changes occurred earlier this year at the Wal-Mart Supercenter. The Wal-Mart Corporation specified that every store is to be remodeled every five to seven years, so the store on New Boston Road in Texarkana, TX began remodeling during the last week of May. The store underwent changes in the design and placement of several departments. The remodeling lasted fourteen weeks with a grand reopening on August 30th. The changes made were for the convenience of the customers.

An announcement was made at the beginning of May to hire extra employees to help during the remodeling process. An estimated fifty-five personnel were hired for various jobs, from building and restocking shelves, moving departments, and helping customers find things. Assistant store manager Jeff Epps said, “We hired local people from our community. Some people quit after the first week due to the demand for the work required. Those that stayed until the end were given a job at the store.” He estimated twenty-five people stayed.

There were a lot of changes made. Some departments were expanded, while some were combined with others, making them smaller. Some departments were moved while others stayed in the same place. The biggest change occurred in Sporting Goods, Hardware, and the Tire and Lube Center. The departments were combined with a shared counter in the middle. Housewares and Domestics have combined as well. Another big change occurred in the Pet Department. The live fish tanks have been removed and replaced with tack and feed for livestock. The Pet Department has also been combined with the Chemicals Department. The Electronic Department has expanded with a wider counter. 

Other changes have occurred in the store. New floors have been laid, new lights in the Produce Department have been installed. The Money Order Center has moved to the middle of the registers. The area where the Money Order Center was is now up for rent for businesses to come to the store. The most noticeable change is the huge tower located on the grocery side. This tower is for customers to pick up their online general merchandise orders conveniently using their phones.

Mr. Epps explained how the changes and remodeling affected the department managers the most. Departments being moved and aisles being relocated frustrated the department managers, as they felt lost while trying to help their customers. The overall morale was good among the department managers as they focused on customer service above all else. This helped to ease the frustration among the customers shopping in the newly rearranged departments.

The overall changes appear to be satisfying to both the customers and the employees. The floors and bright lights are especially the favorites among the changes. Less frustration and complaints occurred as customers started to find their way around the newly designed store with help from the employees. Customers will be happy to know a new change in the online grocery pickup is in the future. Customers will be able to extend their orders instead of being limited to how much goods they are allowed to purchase. 

As with any business, there are other future plans in the works for the Texarkana Wal-Mart Supercenter. Customers can be assured their needs will be top priority whatever changes occur in the future.