newWalmart

First impressions, some good and some bad, from my first – but not last – trip to newWalmart.

It’s a LOT smaller than oldWalmart (or even otherWalmart on the south side of the BigTown) – I seem to recall that when the plans came up for approval before our all-knowing and ever-wise Village council, they decreed that the square footage had to be decreased for reasons known only to the anointed ones. Perhaps I disremember, tho.

It still smells “new” – like a new car or new house. THAT will change in a hurry.

It was very quiet at 9:30 in the morning – almost echoey.

The layout is very different from any other Walmart I’ve been in and will take some getting used to. But I think I will like it; the departments we visit the most – pharmacy, personal care items, pet supplies, cleaning supplies, and groceries - are all at the same end of the store. No more long hikes back and forth.

It is 5 minutes travel time, there or back. No need to haul along a cooler, as we have had to do in sizzling summer when temperatures stay over 110 for weeks on end here. Some years ago, when we all lived in north San Diego county, climatic wonderland of the world, my late mother INSISTED on loading a cooler with frozen water bottles into her vehicle for each and every trip to the grocery store. Good heavens, the temperature rarely got over 75 and no return trip home was more than 15 minutes. Oh how we mocked and teased behind her back! But, guess what folks? That is the very cooler we have been using here! Mother was right, as usual.

The selection of goods is not as wide or varied as we are accustomed to. The fabric and craft department was a major disappointment.

No self-check lines – now it is the checker who is misloading the bags; GolfGuy is off the hook on that one.

GolfGuy thinks some of the prices are higher than at oldWalmart. How can that be? I don’t know if they are or not – I don’t remember numbers like GolfGuy does; he’s a whiz at that.

The cart return areas are few and far between – what a nuisance!

The parking lot is smallish – but there is room for expansion.