approximately the next five years, the business intends to construct or remodel approximately 150 large-format stores, it announced on Wednesday. According to Josh Havens, a company spokesperson, most of the facilities will be new, but some will be enlarged from smaller spaces into Supercenters with a full selection of food and products. Walmart declined to disclose the cost and location of the new locations. The corporation currently operates about 600 Sam’s Club warehouses and over 4,600 shops nationwide. Sam’s Club is also planning to open around 30 new locations in the United States. With over 1.6 million workers, the big-box retailer is the biggest private employer in the United States.

Ninety percent of Americans currently reside within ten miles of a Walmart. Despite increased competition from online retailers like Amazon and Shein, as well as its own drive to increase online sales and its third-party marketplace, Walmart’s expansion indicates that it views its physical stores as an important component of the future. Additionally, Walmart is strengthening its position relative to other shops that have suffered more from American customers cutting back on discretionary purchases. Walmart, a well-known cheap retailer and the biggest grocery shop in the country by revenue, has fared better against inflation and even drawn more affluent households to its locations. The corporation declared a 3-for-1 stock split on Tuesday after its shares reached an all-time high last year. Walmart U.S. CEO John Furner stated on the company’s website on Wednesday that the business intends to begin 12 new store projects this year and would transform one of its smaller locations into a Walmart Supercenter.

He continued, “The company’s plans to renovate other stores are in addition to the move to open or expand locations.” According to Furner, Walmart is expanding its modern aesthetic, which will be reflected in the new stores. The “store of the future” design incorporates technology such as scannable QR codes, crisper signage, and a slimmer layout that highlights the retailer’s cutting-edge clothing brands. He added that more environmentally friendly features, such energy-efficient lighting, will be included in new stores.