With a few remarks, the raising of a flag & the cutting of a ribbon, the long time effort to bring an expanded Wal-Mart store to Sturgeon Bay culminated at a special ceremony Wednesday monring. The new 120,000 square foot supercenter at 1536 Egg Harbor Road opened for business featuring a new layout & updated design, including space dedicated to grocery items & a restaurant. Mayor Thad Birmingham, representing the City of Sturgeon Bay, talked about the long, sometimes contentious, process that had brought about the newly expanded retail outlet…[audio:http://wdor.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/N448.mp3|titles=Mayor Thad Birmingham]
Mayor Birmingham also expressed his hope that the opening of the Wal-Mart Supercenter will have a spinoff effect & lead to other businesses on Egg Harbor Road…[audio:http://wdor.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/N449.mp3|titles=Mayor Thad Birmingham]
The mayor pointed to a couple of businesses that are planning to build on Egg Harbor Road as evidence of the impact of the store.
The new Wal-Mart Supercenter includes technology to reduce energy & water consumption & minimize waste. LED lighting throughout the store operates 70% more efficiently than traditional fluorescent lighting. Low flow toilets & faucets reduce the water used in bathrooms. The store will operate from 6AM to midnight seven days a week.
The old Wal-Mart will be dismantled starting next week, in order to open up more space for parking at the new Supercenter. The plan is to remove the building in stages.
