Walmart has announced it will close three of its Walmart Express stores in Acadiana on January 28, according to a news release on its website.
The local stores closing are in:
- Iowa
- Lake Arthur
- Mamou
Five other express locations will also close across Louisiana including:
- Colfax
- Clinton
- Independence
- Kentwood
- Zwolle
The stores being closed account for a fraction of the company’s 11,000 stores worldwide and less than 1 percent of its global revenue, according to the Associated Press.
More than 95 percent of the stores set to be closed in the U.S. are within 10 miles of another Wal-Mart. The Bentonville, Arkansas, company said it is working to ensure that workers are placed in nearby locations.Click here for a full list of affected stores
The Associated Press reports the announcement comes three months after Wal-Mart Stores Inc. CEO Doug McMillon told investors that the world’s largest retailer would review its fleet of stores with the goal of becoming more nimble in the face of increased competition from all fronts, including from online rival Amazon.com.
Walmart stated, in the news release, that about 10,000 U.S. workers would be affected:
In total, approximately 16,000 associates will be impacted by the decision, about 10,000 of them in the U.S. More than 95 percent of the closed stores in the U.S. are within 10 miles on average of another Walmart, and the hope is that these associates will be placed in nearby locations. Where that isn’t possible, the company will provide 60 days of pay and, if eligible, severance, as well as resume and interview skills training. Whether with Walmart or elsewhere, the company’s objective is to help all associates find their next job opportunity.
The company said it has plans to open between 50 to 60 “Supercenter” stores and 85 to 95 “Neighborhood Market” stores in the U.S. in the 2017 fiscal year.
Walmart expects top open 200 to 240 stores worldwide in the coming year.
Click here for a full list of affected stores.
