MONROE - There only are a few hours left before the Walmart Supercenter opens Wednesday. The grand opening can't come soon enough for store manager Ron Fager.
"We started counting down about 240 days ago, and now it's here," Fager said Monday, with a laugh.
Fager and store employees have spent the past few weeks stocking shelves at the Supercenter and getting everything ready for the grand opening at 7:30 a.m. Wednesday.
"I think I've gotten six hours of sleep the past month," he joked.
Fager said that while employees have been working hard to get things organized, customers have been patient while a significant amount of inventory has shifted from the current store to the new building.
"We really appreciate the customers," he said. "They understand that we don't have some things they're looking for (at the current store) and have said they don't mind waiting until the new store opens."
Linda McArdle, who has worked at Walmart for six weeks, said customers she's talked to are excited about the new store.
"They can't wait," she said. "They're anxious for the grand opening."
Ann Kundert, another Walmart employee, was at the original store's grand opening in 1985, and will be at Wednesday's store debut.
There are some differences between the two openings, she said.
"It seemed a lot easier the first time around," she laughed.
Fager said the grand opening will feature some history about the store, and he expects Mayor Ron Marsh and city aldermen to be in attendance.
"We're ready to go right now," Fager said.
The old Walmart store will close at 6 p.m. Tuesday.
Walmart employees will have about a month to finish clearing out the old store after the Supercenter opens, she said.
Groundbreaking for the Supercent took place in August 2008. The 156,000-square-foot store will employ 340 people, Fager said.
The present store is 98,249 square feet and employs 180 people.
The new store will include sporting goods, lawn and garden products, apparel and general merchandise, as well as a full array of groceries. It also will feature a pharmacy, Tire and Lube Express and garden center. It also will feature a bakery, deli, Subway and Cost Cutter Family Hair Care.
Walmart's new supercenters are designed to be energy efficient - with LED lights, skylights, dimming ballasts and energy-efficient freezers and refrigerators. The new construction practices also are waste-reducing, for example, fewer PVC pipes were used in its construction.
Fager said the present store will be sold or leased and the company will work with a Realtor. He said the building is in a good location for another business.
"We started counting down about 240 days ago, and now it's here," Fager said Monday, with a laugh.
Fager and store employees have spent the past few weeks stocking shelves at the Supercenter and getting everything ready for the grand opening at 7:30 a.m. Wednesday.
"I think I've gotten six hours of sleep the past month," he joked.
Fager said that while employees have been working hard to get things organized, customers have been patient while a significant amount of inventory has shifted from the current store to the new building.
"We really appreciate the customers," he said. "They understand that we don't have some things they're looking for (at the current store) and have said they don't mind waiting until the new store opens."
Linda McArdle, who has worked at Walmart for six weeks, said customers she's talked to are excited about the new store.
"They can't wait," she said. "They're anxious for the grand opening."
Ann Kundert, another Walmart employee, was at the original store's grand opening in 1985, and will be at Wednesday's store debut.
There are some differences between the two openings, she said.
"It seemed a lot easier the first time around," she laughed.
Fager said the grand opening will feature some history about the store, and he expects Mayor Ron Marsh and city aldermen to be in attendance.
"We're ready to go right now," Fager said.
The old Walmart store will close at 6 p.m. Tuesday.
Walmart employees will have about a month to finish clearing out the old store after the Supercenter opens, she said.
Groundbreaking for the Supercent took place in August 2008. The 156,000-square-foot store will employ 340 people, Fager said.
The present store is 98,249 square feet and employs 180 people.
The new store will include sporting goods, lawn and garden products, apparel and general merchandise, as well as a full array of groceries. It also will feature a pharmacy, Tire and Lube Express and garden center. It also will feature a bakery, deli, Subway and Cost Cutter Family Hair Care.
Walmart's new supercenters are designed to be energy efficient - with LED lights, skylights, dimming ballasts and energy-efficient freezers and refrigerators. The new construction practices also are waste-reducing, for example, fewer PVC pipes were used in its construction.
Fager said the present store will be sold or leased and the company will work with a Realtor. He said the building is in a good location for another business.