The Tampa Bay area get its first taste of a Wal-Mart grocery store Wednesday when a Neighborhood Market opens its doors at 6212 Elliott Drive, near Hillsborough Avenue, in Tampa.
The store is a standard supermarket, with a few Wal-Mart extras.
At 40,314 square feet, it's smaller than a standard Kash n' Karry and is designed for speed with six self-checkout lanes, a 30-minute photo lab and a drive-through pharmacy.
Next to the front entrance deli, there's a no-waiting Grab n' Go Bar with coffee, fountain drinks and pastries. Customers need only throw the money into an honor system box on their way out the door.
Tampa's second Wal-Mart Neighborhood Market opens this spring at the corner of Florida Avenue and Busch Boulevard.
Wal-Mart is tinkering with the experiment that began in 1998. So far, there are 68 Neighborhood Markets, most of which are in Texas.
The stores are part of Wal-Mart's long-term plan to tighten its grip as the nation's biggest food retailer. Over the next five years, the discount giant plans to open more than 1,000 supercenters, which combine a grocery store with an expanded discount store. The Neighborhood Market is designed to serve neighborhoods with a supercenter several miles away that may not be as convenient for quick food shopping trips.
The prices are the same as at Wal-Mart Supercenters.
