Wal-Mart brings Neighborhood Market to Modesto

A new Walmart Neighborhood Market grocery store is coming to Modesto.

The smaller-scale, grocery-oriented Wal-Mart store appears to be headed into the empty anchor spot in a shopping center at the corner of Coffee Road and Orangeburg Avenue.

Delia Garcia, media director for Walmart West, confirmed the company's intent Friday in an e-mail to The Bee.

"We are pleased to share that Walmart plans to open a Neighborhood Market in Modesto," she wrote. "… We believe a Neighborhood Market can be part of the solution for Modesto customers who want more affordable shopping options closer to home and we are very excited about the opportunity to serve them.

"Additionally, by using currently vacant property, the Walmart Neighborhood Market will help re-energize the existing shopping center, draw customers to neighboring businesses, and ultimately give a boost to the local economy."

Walmart Neighborhood Market stores stock a variety of grocery products including meat, produce, dairy, deli, bakery, frozen goods, dry goods and other staples. The stores also carry household, health and beauty products and have a pharmacy.

Bentonville, Ark.-based Wal-Mart Stores Inc. opened its first Neighborhood Market in 1998 and now has 167 store across the country. Each market has about 95 employees.

Neighborhood Markets are considerably smaller than Wal-Mart discount and supercenter stores, which are 100,000 square feet and up. Neighborhood Markets average about 42,000 square feet.

The proposed site in the Coffee and Orangeburg shopping center would encompass the 26,000-square-foot anchor space and the approximately 10,000- square-foot spot formerly occupied by Leslie's Pool Supplies.

Leslie's Pool Supplies moved this week to an ad- jacent storefront in the same complex after more than 25 years in the same space.

The anchor space has housed a number of grocery and discount grocery stores over the years. Most recently it was a Dollar Superstore, which closed last fall. Before that, it was a Richland Market and then Rick's Supermarket.

The shopping complex has seen foot traffic dwindle as stores have closed during the recession. Maggie Zheng, manager of the Great Wall Chinese restaurant in the center, had not heard about the Walmart Neighborhood Market until Friday.

"That would be great though," said Zheng, whose restaurant opened seven years ago. "It's not like before when it was crowded here. That would help us a lot. Some kind of grocery store would help."

At Sandy's Sweet Shop, which sits right next to the proposed site, the sentiment was more cautious. Bill Moore, a business consultant for Sandy's, said they have heard rumors about a new business moving into the spot.

"I think a grocery store would be a good anchor," Moore said. "But we're not too optimistic until we see the building being outfitted."

Wal-Mart has not given an opening date for the Neighborhood Market.

The news of the new arrival comes as the area is losing another longtime grocery store not far from the proposed site. A mile to the east at Orangeburg Avenue and Oakdale Road, the Raley's in Century Center announced it will close by the end of March. Raley's has been open since 1979 and has 76 employees.

Bee staff writer Marijke Rowland can be reached at mrowland@modbee.com or (209) 578-2284.