Walmart Is Temporarily Closing Hundreds of Stores Right Now—Here’s Why
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Over the last few years, companies have been closing stores left and right amid the pandemic and a number of other economic challenges. This had led to permanent closures from big-name retailers like CVS and Bed Bath & Beyond . But not everything is going away permanently, thankfully, and sometimes closures are just a temporary necessity. In fact, one of the biggest retailers in the U.S. is now closing hundreds of locations in multiple states for a limited time. Read on to find out more about Walmart’s closures.
READ THIS NEXT: Walmart Is Banning Shoppers From Doing This in 4 States, as of Next Year .
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Walmart has not been spared from the recent retail apocalypse—at least, not in terms of certain locations. In the spring, the big-box retailer shuttered several of its stores permanently. Walmart closed locations in Louisville, Kentucky; Forest Park, Ohio; and Bellevue, Washington, in April. And in May, the company closed stores in Guilford, Connecticut, and Mayfield Heights, Ohio.
Walmart said these were “underperforming” locations, but Brian Little confirmed to the Louisville Courier Journal that the closures were not part of a larger nationwide trend of permanent shutdowns. “These are never easy decisions, but actively managing our portfolio is essential to maintaining a healthy business. This is done on a case-by-case basis and only after a careful and thorough review,” Little told the newspaper in March.
Now, Walmart is closing more stores than ever—but not for good.
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Your local Walmart might not be open right now, depending on where you live.
As of Sept. 30, the big-box retailer’s website indicates that there are at least 120 stores and clubs currently closed throughout the U.S. The most recent closures are affecting the coast of Georgia and South Carolina. According to the company’s store status locator, Walmart stores in Georgia’s Peachtree City and Savannah, as well as South Carolina cities such as Myrtle Beach, Charleston, and Beaufort, are among those temporarily closed right now.
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Most of the Walmart stores temporarily closed right now are because of Hurricane Ian. The storm made landfall on Sept. 28 in Florida as a Category 4 hurricane, and is now barreling toward the coast of South Carolina as a Category 1 hurricane, CNN reports. As it approached Florida, Walmart closed nearly 170 stores and Sam’s Club locations throughout the state on Sept. 28 “out of concern for associates and customers ,” the Villages-News reported. As of Sept. 29, more than 240 locations were temporarily closed, per GoBankingRates.
According to the local news outlet in The Villages, Walmart did not indicate when its Florida stores would reopen. But while there doesn’t appear to be a specific timeline—as many areas are still without power and facing dangerous floods—many Walmart locations in the state have since reopened based on the retailer’s regularly updated store status map.
“Regarding the loss of power and reopening after the storm’s passing, we’re actively taking steps now to give us the best opportunity to resume operations once it’s safe to do so,” Walmart Director of Corporate Communication Charles Crowson told the Miami Herald .
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On Sept. 29, Walmart issued a new release in regards to Hurricane Ian’s already disastrous impact on the state of Florida. “Many of our associates, customers and members in the communities we serve across Florida are feeling the devastating effects of Hurricane Ian,” the company said. “Our thoughts are with those impacted and we are moving quickly to help.”
Per the news release, Walmart is committing up to $6 million in support to help recovery and relief efforts in the aftermath of the hurricane. “This support will include donations of essential supplies and grants to organizations providing relief on the ground,” the retailer explained, adding that the company would also be accepting donations from customers. Walmart said it will “help maximize their impact” by matching donations made by customers at their registers.
“Walmart associates are also working side-by-side with state leaders and first responders, mobilizing to bring additional services to impacted communities. We will continue looking for ways to help our neighbors in Florida,” the company said.
Walmart Is Banning Shoppers From Doing This in 4 States, as of Next Year
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The shopping experience at Walmart is nothing if not consistent. The megaretailer has changed with the times to keep giving customers what they want, from a convenient shopping experience to maintaining their low prices despite soaring inflation. Typically, this involves adding features or perks that endear fans to the store even more. But even as the world’s second-largest retailer, some changes are inevitable for the company—including ones that could affect the shopping experience. Read on to see what Walmart is banning shoppers from doing in four states as of next year.
READ THIS NEXT: Walmart Shoppers Can Now Buy This “Award-Winning” Product in Stores .
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There’s no question that the pace of change in the retail industry has quickened in recent years. But unlike some other once-iconic stores that have all but disappeared , Walmart has managed to keep customers coming back by embracing new technology and fine-tuning its customer experience.
In July, the store unveiled a new augmented reality (AR) feature built into its app that allows customers to see how a piece of furniture or décor will look in their home before they decide to buy it. The company also announced it had updated its website to optimize the experience for Spanish speakers shopping on its website. And the retailer also kicked off a partnership with streaming platform Roku that allows customers to shop for items using their TVs.
Devoted Walmart customers have also likely found more reasons to return to the store lately. Earlier this summer, the retailer announced that it was updating its Walmart+ subscription service, allowing members to bundle their package with InHome Delivery for an extra $40 annually. The service provides customers with the convenience of having the items they ordered brought straight to their doorstep, garage, or fridge. But despite these recent additions, there’s one thing Walmart shoppers in some areas won’t see in stores for much longer.
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Originally, signage had announced that the changes would take effect beginning Sept. 15. However, those notices have since been removed from the store, with representatives telling KRDO that the new policy will go into effect at a later date in the coming months.
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News of the major change comes after the state government passed Colorado House Bill 1162 last year, KRDO reports. Even though the new legislation will ban stores and restaurants from giving out single-use plastics such as shopping bags beginning in 2024, the company said it would be getting a head start on the changes—and has even instituted similar policies in other states.
“Walmart has been exploring alternatives to single-use carryout bags from our stores since 2021 while prioritizing our customers’ convenience and product safety, including through the Beyond the Bag Consortium. In the U.S., we have transitioned from plastic bags in Vermont, Maine, and New Jersey, and, starting early 2023, we expect to eliminate single-use carryout bags in Colorado as well—with reusable bags available for purchase at multiple prices,” a corporate spokesperson for Walmart told KRDO in a statement.
“For in-store and curbside delivery, we will continue to encourage our customers to bring their own bags and/or purchase reusable bags and will be switching to reusable paper bags for delivery. Walmart remains committed to identifying solutions that are scalable, convenient, and sustainable,” the representative explained.
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Despite how convenient they may seem, plastic bags have become a major ecological issue , with less than 10 percent of those put into use ending up recycled, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). As a result, state and municipal governments around the U.S. have begun to institute their own local ordinances similar to Colorado’s that limit or outright ban retailers and other businesses from furnishing plastic bags. As of February 2021, eight states had enacted bans on single-use plastic bags , including California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, New York, Oregon, and Vermont, per the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL). Other areas, such as Montgomery County, Maryland, and Washington, D.C., have also required businesses to charge a five or 10-cent fee per bag used by a customer.
But it’s not just plastic bags: Walmart’s latest decision aligns with the company’s commitment to becoming a zero waste operation in the U.S. in Canada by 2025. After announcing the initiative last year, the retailer says it aims to switch to “100 percent recyclable, reusable, or industrially compostable packaging” for its own brands by 2025 while also “aiming to label 100 percent of that packaging with recycling instructions to educate our customers and eliminate non-recyclable packaging by the same time frame.”
