Wal-Mart Neighborhood Markets Coming to Roanoke

Wal-Mart has been expanding its Neighborhood Market store over the past five years, and now they are looking at the Roanoke Region for thier latest expansions. Three new Wal-Mart Neighborhood Markets are scheduled to open in the region by the beginning of 2015, according to the company.

Wal-Mart, the world’s largest retailer, will open stores at Orange Avenue and King Street, a shopping center at Dale Avenue and Vernon Street in southeast Roanoke, and at the intersection of Plantation Road and John Richardson Road in Roanoke County.

The company already operates four Wal-Mart Supercenters in the valley, but these new stores will differ in their approach to retail. The will be much smaller (about 42,000 feet vs. 182,000 for the supercenter), and will concentrate almost exclusively on grocery items. The markets will also feature a full deli and bakery, as well as a pharmacy and gas. 

The new stores will also employ around 95 full- and part-time workers each according to a Wal-Mart spokesperson. 

Wal-Mart currently operates more than 340 Neighborhood Markets nationwide.