Walmart rolls out new store designs at 5 flagship stores

Walmart has rolled out a new look at five flagship stores, including its big-box store in Teterboro, N.J., after testing the redesign at one of its big-box stores in Springdale, Ark.

The facelift includes brighter lighting, fashionable mannequins, colorful makeup displays, more spacious aisles and pet supplies.

Five of its SuperCenters in Teterboro and North Bergen in New Jersey; Yaphank, N.Y.; Quakertown, Pa.; and Hodgkins, Ill. are sporting the new design. A remodel of the store in Secaucus, N.J., is slated to be unveiled next month.

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Upon unveiling the new, signature experience in its incubator location in Springdale, Ark., last year, Alvis Washington, Walmart’s vice president of marketing, store design, innovation and experience, said, "For millions of customers, our stores and associates are the reason they love Walmart. They are the greatest assets for our brand. We’re always listening to our customers’ and associates’ feedback to help inspire, evolve and refresh the store experience, that we call “Time Well Spent.” It focuses on making Walmart a destination where customers want to spend their time."

Washington continued, "In today’s omnichannel world, customers still want to experience – touch, feel and try – items. So, we’re now aiming to make customers feel wowed and proud when they shop with us. We’re using powerful design elements to show off amazing products that wow our customers, and when they see the value, they are proud of their choice and purchase. In this next phase of our redesign, we’re amplifying the physical, human and digital design elements in our stores to inspire customers and elevate the experience. Physical elements include lighting, space enhancements, dynamic displays and more. Our visual merchandising experts have highlighted exciting brands and created engaging experiences that bring to life the human element. Finally, QR codes and digital screens create opportunities for digital exploration. But making the store more engaging isn’t enough. We have to do all of this in a way that is unique to Walmart."

Here are the guiding design principles for the redesign:  

• Activated corners: Exciting displays at the corners of certain departments pull customers in and help them touch, feel and become a part of the space, allowing them to discover all that we have to offer.
• Home may feature a living room or bedroom set up where the customer can squeeze a throw pillow or feel the coziness of a blanket, then find those items onsite to purchase and take home, or order them online.
• Elevated brand shops: Taking a “store within a store experience” to the next level.
  • Apparel will highlight owned and national brands. Great prices are a given, but we’ll celebrate quality and style, in style.
  • New parents will not want for inspiration when they visit the Baby department.  They will be greeted by elevated displays showcasing all the items needed to create a dream nursery as well as strollers and car seats that are brought out of the box to allow for test drives.
  • Beauty also will showcase exciting shops where new and trending items are given a home, and men’s grooming tools can be seen and experienced.
• More space to discover: In these new reimagined spaces, we have purposefully created more space for our customers to explore and discover the breadth and depth of what our stores have to offer, and we’ve optimized assortment to elevate storytelling that draws customers in.
• Digital touchpoints: Using our stores as an initial display of the great variety of products and brands, we can communicate to customers the vast range of products and services Walmart offers online through the strategic use of QR codes and digital screens. For example, in our Pets area, a customer may scan the 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.

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"In this next phase of our redesign, we’re amplifying the physical, human and digital design elements in our stores to inspire customers and elevate the experience. Physical elements include lighting, space enhancements, dynamic displays and more. Our visual merchandising experts have highlighted exciting brands and created engaging experiences that bring to life the human element. Finally, QR codes and digital screens create opportunities for digital exploration. But making the store more engaging isn’t enough. We have to do all of this in a way that is unique to Walmart," Washington said.