TWO Walmart stores in Atlanta are closing their doors to the community in just a few weeks.
The superstore announced in a press release that locations on Ashford Dunwoody Road in Dunwoody and Roswell Road in Marietta, Georiga, will close in July.
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“This decision was not made lightly and was only reached after a careful and thoughtful review process,” the press release read.
“We have almost 5,000 stores in the US and, unfortunately, some do not meet our financial expectations.
“While our underlying business is strong, this store has not performed as well as we had hoped.”
Following the announcement, concerns from community members led Mayor Lynn Deutsch to speak out against the closures.
Read more news about store closures
Deutsch, who has served as mayor of Dunwoody since 2019, released an affirmation on his official Facebook account expressing disappointment.
“I am surprised and disappointed that Wal-Mart has announced that the Ashford-Dunwoody store is closing,” she wrote on June 13.
“A corporate representative informed us this morning that the store is closing due to poor financial performance. Wal Mart also announced closures in Marietta.
“In 2023, several dozen stores closed across the country. They have already closed other stores this year.”
Mayor Deutsch expressed her concern for the employees.
She noted that they would be paid until mid-September and would be offered positions at other Walmarts, but that the vacancy creates a “challenge.”
Mayor Deutsch promised the community that the local government would work with the property owner to support their plans for the future.
Dunwoody has less than 3% retail vacancy, meaning there is strong demand for businesses in the area.
The stores will close their doors on July 12th.
Customers who receive revenue from impacted stores will be able to transfer it to other nearby locations.
‘THIS IS SHOCKING’
Community members are voicing their concerns about the mayor’s statement about the impact the vacancy will have.
One comment read: “This is shocking!”
“I live right next to that Walmart and I go there often. It was always busy at any time of the day, so that’s interesting,” shared another.
“I noticed that they are putting more and more things behind glass, so maybe it’s a theft problem. Although a lot of things were behind glass, but not locked like laundry detergent.”
“It’s a huge space to be left vacant. It’s a shame for the area,” added a third.
Georgia cities aren’t the only communities hit by massive store closures.
Walmart stores closed in 2024
So far, Walmart has closed the following stores in 2024:
- San Diego, California – February 9
- El Cajon, California – February 9
- Columbus, Ohio – February 16
- West Covina, California – March 29
- Towson, Maryland – April 5
- Granite Bay, California – April 12
- Milwaukee, Wisconsin – May 19
- Fremont, California – May 24
- Aurora, Colorado – June 7
Walmart has closed a number of stores this year, including locations in Ohio, Maryland, Wisconsin, Colorado and five in California.
In addition to the closures, Walmart is also laying off hundreds of corporate employees.
The retailer is looking to push more technology, announcing in April that 65% of stores would be supported by automation by the end of fiscal 2026.
Retail analyst Neil Saunders said Yahoo that the new retail environment is impacting major storefronts.
“The truth is that, although stores continue to be a vital part of the retail mix, they are no longer as relevant as they used to be,” the expert told the outlet.
“Walmart’s decision is part of a larger shift that will occur across all parts of the retail industry over the next year and beyond.”
Despite store closures, Walmart still managed to generate revenue of $173.4 billion during the last quarter of 2023.
The big-box retailer reported total revenue of $648.1 billion last year, a 6% increase, according to Walmart Q4 Results.
The store closures also come as Walmart tries to combat receipt check theft, which has left customers furious.
US Sun has reached out to Walmart and Mayor Deutsch for comment.
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
