Wal-Mart announced earlier this month that it is closing 269 stories, including 154 in the United States. This affects one Connecticut Wal-Mart and the doors will close today.
The Walmart Neighborhood Market in Bishop's Corner, at 333 North Main Street, in West Hartford is closing today and people started lining up at 7 a.m. for some last-minute deals.
"We're out here, trying to find that 75 percent off deal," Karen Harris, of Bloomfield, said.
One customers got into the store, they found empty shelves.
“We’re standing out there freezing, and when we get in there, there’s nothing in there but just scraps. It’s like a scavenger hunt, nothing in there,” Isabel Taitague, of Hartford, said.
Sherri Bushey has worked at Wal-Mart for the last 18 years and has been in Shelton for the last three. She'll be transferring to Shelton, but she is sad to leave the West Hartford store.
“It’s emotional for all of us. We all enjoyed working here. We ended up having a great group of people and it’s kind of bitter sweet to see everybody go their own ways,” Bushey said
Local
The Bishop's Corner Wal-Mart Neighborhood Market opened in 2013 and was the first in the northeast, according to WestHartfordNews.com. More than 100 people have been working at the store.
There are currently at least 35 Wal-Mart stores in Connecticut.
As statement from Wal-mart said the stores closing in the United States include the company’s 102 smallest format stores, Walmart Express and Walmart will "focus on strengthening supercenters, optimizing neighborhood Markets, growing the e-commerce business and expanding Pickup services for customers."
Among the closures are 23 Neighborhood Markets, 12 Supercenters, seven stores in Puerto Rico, six discount centers and four Sam’s Clubs. Two of the closing Sam's Club stores are in Massachusetts. One is in Fall River and the other is in Seekonk. Another is closing in Warwick. Rhode Island.
CNBC reports that more than 95 percent of the closed U.S. stores are within 10 miles of another Wal-Mart store. When possible, store associates will be transferred to nearby locations.
