MISSISSAUGA, ON, April 12, 2024 /CNW/ – It was one of the first stores to welcome customers on day one of Walmart’s expansion into Canada in 1994 and today, 30 years later, the Square One Walmart Supercentre in Mississauga is celebrating its grand re-opening as the retailer’s flagship location.
The Square One Walmart Supercentre in Mississauga, Ontario is Walmart Canada’s largest store by square foot at approximately 223,000 square feet and reflects one of the largest capital investments made by the retailer in a single store.
Serving the Mississauga community for 30 years, the updated store will enable continued growth and exploration in omnichannel retail innovation for Walmart Canada to test new technologies and concepts and learn from customers and associates as it continues to modernize its retail operations.
“As Walmart Canada celebrates its 30th year in Canada, we continue to evolve to better serve our customers. With this milestone, it’s fitting that one of our first stores in Canada is becoming our flagship location, reimagined to best suit the needs of the transforming Mississauga community,” said John Bayliss, Chief Operations Officer, Walmart Canada. “The investment we’ve made in our Square One Walmart Supercentre will help us to provide a more seamless omnichannel shopping experience for our existing and new customers and explore the future of retail as we look to the next 30 years.”
The Square One Walmart Supercentre was one of the retailer’s original 122 Canadian stores in 1994 and became a Supercentre and one-stop shop in 2011, offering fresh grocery in addition to its popular general merchandise categories.
Located in the Square One Shopping Centre, Ontario’s largest shopping mall in the heart of Mississauga, the store is uniquely positioned to be Walmart Canada’s flagship store. It serves Mississauga’s rapidly changing demographics that include both traditional suburban communities and a more urban, condo-dwelling customer without a vehicle.
“Today’s grand re-opening is a moment of pride for all our associates. It’s about more than just a store; it’s a celebration of our 30 years of service to the community and the dedication of our incredible team of over 400 associates,” said Rehman Khalid, Store Manager Square One Walmart Supercentre. “Our flagship store was redesigned with our customers in mind with more products, more services and even more convenience all at our everyday low prices. I know our customers and associates are going to love what they see – and I can’t wait to welcome them.”
“Recognized as Walmart Canada’s largest store and flagship location, the Square One Walmart Supercentre employs over 400 local workers and has a long-standing presence within Mississauga,” said Vic Fedeli, Ontario’s Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade. “As we reflect on the store’s 30 years of service, we extend our congratulations to the Canadian Leadership Team and all those who have played a role in facilitating today’s grand re-opening. We look forward to seeing these new technologies and concepts in action.”
“Walmart is an important part of Square One’s retail landscape and a community destination. The grand opening of the newly renovated Walmart will showcase omnichannel retail innovation and the potential this kind of physical and digital innovation offers consumers. This Walmart evolution will be valuable given Mississauga’s rapid population growth in the immediate vicinity of Square One.” – Bradley Jones, SVP & Head of Leasing and Operations, Oxford Properties
“With a reputation as a vibrant hub for innovation across numerous industries, it is truly fitting that Walmart Canada has chosen Mississauga and the re-opening of its flagship Supercentre to introduce the next generation of retail innovations for Canadian customers. The Mississauga Board of Trade applauds these significant investments and Walmart Canada’s continued commitment to supporting economic growth and job creation in Mississauga and across Canada.” – Trevor McPherson, President and CEO, Mississauga Board of Trade
The Square One Walmart Supercentre has transformed with the customer experience in mind, introducing new ways to shop. Updated lighting, new signage and digital wayfinding will join immersive retail experiences to enhance in-store shopping and help customers embrace Walmart’s “endless aisle”. Plus, the store will feature an in-store pickup kiosk to allow customers without a vehicle to enjoy Walmart’s pickup service, catering to the local demographics.
First Walmart Health hub in Canada
The Walmart Health hub will centralize the store’s pharmacy, vision centre and medical clinic into one area, providing a one-stop shop for health and wellness needs, supported by the company’s digital pharmacy app. This includes a new health guide area that spotlights and educates customers around seasonally-relevant health solutions and an interactive concierge service. This interactive concierge service will help customers discover and schedule pharmacy and optical appointments and find health and wellness products in store, including a vitamin recommendation tool. Behind the counter, the pharmacy area has also been reimagined to support pharmacists in delivering more efficient care to customers.
Enhanced apparel experience
A new boutique-style apparel area makes it easier for customers to shop Walmart’s apparel assortment and highlights trends and must-haves at every day low prices. The new space includes family mannequins in the latest fashions, updated lighting and digital screens to inspire customers as they shop for the season’s must-haves.
Expanded fresh grocery, global foods and a new hot meal counter
To better serve local customers’ needs, the refreshed store features a larger fresh produce area and an increased grocery assortment, including an expanded assortment of global foods and a new hot table featuring convenient meals to go.
Re-imagined electronics department redefines the customer experience
A new hands-on, frictionless experience awaits customers in the electronics department, where customers can shop from an extended assortment customized to the needs of the local demographic. Dedicated spaces for brands like Apple, Samsung, Windows, Google, Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo and more spotlight the extensive assortment available in a new way. When customers are ready to check out, they can either scan a QR code on-shelf or leverage custom screens to place their order. In minutes, the order will be fulfilled through an automated picking system. Larger items like TVs will be available for pickup in designated spaces at the upper and lower levels.
Showroom shopping experience for large-scale items like patio, BBQ and more
Customers shopping for larger-scale items like patio furniture, BBQs and more will be able to visit the products on the sales floor for a first-hand look. Once they’ve chosen their items, they can scan a QR code to complete their purchase, which will be available for pickup once they’ve completed their shopping.
Beta testing Walmart’s first SmartShelf
When customers shop in the crackers category at the Square One Supercentre, they’ll encounter a brand-new innovation called the SmartShelf Platform. This beta test of the patent-pending, Walmart-created hardware and software is part of the retailer’s ongoing efforts to deliver the future of retail. The 28-foot fixture features an LCD screen at each shelf, connecting the world of physical and digital shopping by allowing customers to see ratings and reviews for products and experience greater visibility for promotions and discounts. Plus, it allows automation and streamlining for associate tasks like price changes, modular changes and stocking.
Walmart Canada operates a chain of more than 400 stores nationwide serving 1.5 million customers each day. Walmart Canada’s flagship online store, Walmart.ca, is visited by more than 1.5 million customers daily. With more than 100,000 associates, Walmart Canada is one of Canada’s largest employers and is ranked one of the country’s top 10 most influential brands. Walmart Canada has made a commitment to regeneration – focusing on equitable opportunity, sustainability, community, ethics and integrity. Since 1994, Walmart Canada has raised over $750 million to support communities across Canada. Additional information can be found at walmartcanada.ca and on Walmart Canada’s social media pages – Facebook, X (formerly known as Twitter), Instagram and LinkedIn.
SOURCE Wal-Mart Canada Corp.
Featured image: Megapixl © stockcreations
