Walmart, Target rolling out area store remodels
Walmart and Target seem to be in a fierce race as to which one can change up their stores more. Both recently updated The News Tribune on changes to area stores, including both in-store and digital features.
WALMART
The proof of Walmart’s $56 million statewide investments is starting to show at more area stores.
The Lakewood supercenter led the way earlier this year, and now store remodels and new tech are in evidence at more of the retail giant’s locations.
Its pickup tower is now at the Bonney Lake supercenter, 19205 State Route 410 E., and is coming Nov. 25 to its Federal Way store, 34520 16th Ave S.
The Federal Way store and Tumwater store, 5900 Littlerock Rd SW, are launching online grocery pickup — already available in Lakewood and its Neighborhood Market in Lacey, 1401 Galaxy Dr NE.
(For those keeping track, Whole Foods also now offers this service at its University Place store, 3515 Bridgeport Way W.)
The Walmarts in Bonney Lake and Tumwater also have been renovated.
Walmart also is touting a “better checkout experience” with a boost to its app, including in-store maps and its “Check Out with Me” rolled out to all supercenters by Black Friday. The feature allows for store workers to help you scan bulkier items from the shelf without having to lug them to checkout. It was tested at some of the retailer’s garden centers earlier this year.
TARGET
Target notes it has a store within 10 miles of every household in the country. (Walmart makes a similar claim.)
Its remodels to finish 2018 include South Center, Everett, Puyallup (3310 S. Meridian) and Lake Stevens stores. That is on top of the usual decorating overhaul for the holidays.
Updated interiors and new groupings of products along with specialty lighting are among the new features. Target also has updated its order pickup and guest-service counters and added a nursing room in remodeled stores.
The upgrades are not by cookie-cutter design. Target noted on its blog in July that each remodel would be approached with its own customization.
These changes are on the heels of its rollout of Shipt delivery services earlier this year.
This story was originally published November 16, 2018 at 1:22 PM.
