The king of big-box retail announced plans this morning to close the Walmart Supercenter at 7075 FM 1960 West, behind Willowbrook Mall at the intersection with Cutten Rd. The Supercenter will close on January 28th after more than 2 decades of operation; a Walmart Neighborhood Market at 2740 Gessner Rd. (south of Kempwood Dr.) will also close on the same day.
The Supercenter (not to be confused with the one 4 miles up FM 1960 at the corner with T.C. Jester) is one of 154 US stores that will close, as the chain works to assure that its “assets [are] aligned with strategy”. Currently, there are 17 Walmart stores on or inside Beltway 8, and 4 Walmart Supercenters along FM 1960 between 249 and Atascocita.
***
The chain is shutting down all of its Walmart Express mini-stores, which were piloted in 2011, and a number of stores abroad as well — an additional 115 of Walmart’s international stores will close (or have already). The company conducted a review in October of nearly 11,600 stores worldwide; CEO and President Doug McMillon says the company also plans to open “well more than 300” additional stores across the globe in the coming year.
Photo of Walmart Supercenter at 7075 FM 1960 Rd W: Cristal C.
Oh, Gessner Neighborhood Market, I’ll miss how you were conveniently uncrowded so much of the time for me. I’ll never forget the way you wore those large entrance signs reminding parents that leaving kids unattended in cars is a bad idea. And I’ll fondly remember the time your staff acted surprised and bewildered that I showed up to pick up a Site-to-Store order. RIP (Retail Is Problematic)
They need to close to South Post Oak location not a super store ghetto trashy and to much crime. They just opened a super store on South Rice time to close the South Post Oak location.
@DJboutit, the 1960 store was trashier.
I don’t think they close Wal-mart stores because they are too ghetto. They close them because they are too empty.
We are living in lean business times. Even Wal-Mart has its standards. Will Family Dollar inherit the world?