New-look Walmarts on the way

Walmart's expansion in the Charlotte area marches on - as passers-by have seen firsthand on U.S. 521 in Indian Land, S.C., just over the state line, south of Ballantyne. The new supercenter going up there is slated for an August grand opening, the company says, for inquiring minds who might wish to know. 

But the world's largest retailer isn't standing pat on its existing locations, either, some of which have begun to look more dated on the inside compared with newer layouts. At least two local supercenters are now undergoing major overhauls, and others are likely to follow, as part of a nationwide renovation effort slated to hit 70 percent of the company's U.S. stores by the end of 2012. The effort is intended to boost returns at existing stores by introducing the latest store designs, which are based on customer feedback.

Work is now in progress at the Mountain Island Walmart, at N.C. 16 and Mount Holly-Huntersville Road in Charlotte, and the West Gastonia location on N. Myrtle School Road. At Mountain Island, the work is expected to wrap up in June, while the Gastonia store is aiming for a May finish. The stores are remaining open during construction, the bulk of which will be done in overnight hours. Improvements include a new layout, wider aisles, low-profile shelving, bright interior paint schemes, enhanced lighting and easy-to-read signage - the very things you'll also see in the newest Walmarts locally, such as the store on Thunder Road near Concord Mills.