Walmart celebrated the grand opening of a new Walmart Neighborhood Market at Mercado Shopping Center on April 2. To celebrate the grand opening, Santa Clara Mayor Jamie Matthews and members of the Santa Clara Chamber of Commerce joined store manager Karina Arvizu and many City dignitaries with a celebratory ribbon cutting prior to the store opening to the public. Approximately 100 customers eagerly awaited the store opening, ariving as early as 6 a.m.
At the grand opening, the market and the Walmart Foundation made $6,000 in grant donations to local community organizations, including $2,000 donation to Mission Community College and $1,000 each to the Santa Clara Police Department D.A.R.E. program; Santa Clara Fire Department; Sunnyvale Community Services; Santa Clara Rotary Steps for Success; and Cabrillo Middle School.
The 44,000-square foot Walmart Neighborhood Market, at 3255 Mission College Blvd., is situated in the Mercado Shopping Center in the former Micro Center building. The store includes a full line of groceries, including a bakery, a deli, rotisserie chicken, meat and dairy products, prepared meals, produce, and frozen foods plus organic and gluten-free options; and it is open 6 a.m. to 11 p.m., seven days a week. The store also has health and beauty aids, pet and cleaning products, an in-store pharmacy, money center and offers Site-to-Store for online orders. The store is bringing 95 new jobs to Santa Clara.
The store hosted a “family welcome” on April 5 with family activities such as face painting, cupcake decorating and free food samples.