You heard correctly—Walmart is closing its California locations. Prepare for pandemonium (or maybe not), pack your reusable bags, and cancel your rollback offers. The reality is a little less dramatic, even though the headline may shout mass departure.
While some establishments are permanently closing their sliding doors, others are opening, and many more are undergoing a complete renovation.
Continue reading to find out what all of this implies for your local Walmart and your monthly grocery shop.
California Walmart stores are closing
The negative news comes first. Five Walmart shops in California will close their doors permanently this year, the company has revealed. The closures follow a larger plan to purge the retailer’s footprint by concentrating on locations with greater foot traffic and greater profitability.
So, which Walmart locations have already shut down? The following five stores will no longer be open:
City | Address |
San Diego | 2121 Imperial Ave |
El Cajon | 605 Fletcher Parkway |
West Covina | 2753 E. Eastland Center Dr |
Fremont | 40580 Albrae St |
Granite Bay | 4080 Douglas Blvd |
Walmart claims that performance is actually harmed by an excessive number of stores grouped together in one area. Therefore, the corporation is focused its efforts (and workers) on outlets that attract more customers rather than distributing resources across underutilized sites.
Each location has a somewhat different “official” closing date, although all are scheduled to permanently close by the end of 2025.
Residents in impacted areas might have to make a slightly longer commute or place their orders online, but don’t worry, Walmart isn’t abandoning the state.
California will see the opening of Walmart outlets
Surely it couldn’t be all awful news? Walmart is still making investments in the sunny state, despite popular belief. The retail behemoth hasn’t completely given up on California just because they’ve closed a few stores in extremely crowded places.
For the time being, a brand-new Walmart Supercenter in Eastvale, Riverside County, is scheduled to open. Within the next five years, 150 new venues will be opened nationwide, including this new site.
It will feature updated services and a more contemporary design that reflects the tastes of its patrons.
Therefore, although some zip codes are losing their local store, others are getting access to cutting-edge shopping centers. Putting the appropriate store in the right location is more important to Walmart’s retail strategy these days than packing neighborhoods with stores.
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And if you live in a place like Eastvale that is expanding quickly? They are keeping an eye on you.
Walmart locations that are experiencing a revitalization
Not every store is brand-new, and not every store is closing. Others are just leveling up.
57 Walmart locations in California are expected to undergo significant renovations in 2025. These go beyond an endcap shuffle or a few new paint jobs.
As part of Walmart’s “Store of the Future” project, we’re talking about significant improvements. Currently, they are planned to consist of:
- Energy-efficient lighting at 8 a.m. is gentler on your eyes and better for the environment.
- Redesigned layouts: You won’t need a GPS to locate the cereal thanks to more logical aisles.
- Increased pickup and delivery locations—Online orders will be processed more quickly and easily.
- Improved checkout technology: More self-checkout stations and quicker registers (we know, conflicting emotions).
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The following stores have been confirmed to receive a refresh:
City | Address |
Barstow | 301 Montara Rd |
Palm Desert | 34500 Monterey Ave |
Moreno Valley | 12721 Moreno Beach Dr |
Walmart isn’t going out of business, despite some of the more ebullient headlines. These modifications are a component of a more significant, intentional adjustment.
With an increasing focus on e-commerce and its Walmart+ membership service, the corporation is striking a balance with its significant physical presence.
You might need to plan a different shopping route or, if your neighborhood Walmart is one of the five closings, try out their online ordering system (yes, it works!).
Conversely, if you live close to a renovated store, expect a quicker checkout process and a cleaner, better-lit retail environment.