Gaston Dean of Spartanburg leaves the Walmart Neighborhood Market Wednesday afternoon. A printing error giving the wrong date of the store's opening, causing a steady flow of customers to be turned away. Thje store opens Wednesday, Feb. 20.
Residents from Greenville and Spartanburg counties were lured to the store when they received invitations of its opening. Only the invitation included the wrong date.
Gaston Dean of Spartanburg made the drive to visit the store to check out the prices and quality of food. “I wanted to see what the store was like,” Dean said, after being turned away. “I’ll come back. If they have good food and cheap prices it will help.”
As the storefront signage was being assembled, customers straggled in during a steady, cold rain accompanied with chilly winds. “We’ve spent most of the day explaining to customers the store isn’t open until next Wednesday,” Tucker said.
“There was a printing error and we sent out an announcement that the store was already open when in fact it won’t open until next week,” wrote W.C. Wertz, Director of Communications – East, for Walmart stores.
“We’re excited about the store opening, but apologize for the premature announcement. We hope everyone will join us for the real opening next Wednesday. It will be worth the short wait,” Wertz wrote.
The state’s first Neighborhood Market brand opens next Wednesday with ceremonies and a ribbon cutting scheduled at 7:30 a.m. and the store opening at 8 a.m. A day of product samplings, giveaways and entertainment are planned.
The store, at 805 W. Wade Hampton Blvd., will be open 6 a.m. -11 p.m. every day after the grand opening.
Follow Walmart's story in Greer:
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