Walmart plans to reopen all Chicago stores after multiple locations closed due to damage sustained during unrest in the city following the death of George Floyd, the company announced Friday.
Walmart will reopen seven locations across the city, "retaining employment for roughly 1,600 Chicagoans," officials said. It also plans to add two Walmart Health centers at Walmart Supercenters in Austin and Chatham.
“We are extremely grateful that Walmart is not only recommitting to our city by reopening all of its Chicago locations, but also expanding its investments even further through innovative programming and services,” Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said in a statement. “In doing so, they are reaffirming that Chicago’s communities are a great place to invest and grow, and I personally look forward to continuing our partnership and collaboration on these efforts in the months and years ahead.”
While a Supercenter in the Pullman neighborhood has already reopened, the seven others must "undergo cleanup and construction in advance of reopening," officials said in a release.
The company said it hopes to reopen its Neighborhood Market locations and the Hermosa Supercenter by the end of July and reopen the Chatham and Austin Supercenters by the end of 2020.
The full list of reopening stores includes:
- Walmart Neighborhood Market, 2844 N Broadway
- Walmart Neighborhood Market, 2511 W Cermak Rd
- Walmart Neighborhood Market, 4720 S Cottage Grove Ave
- Walmart Neighborhood Market, 7535 S Ashland Ave
- Walmart Supercenter, 8331 S Stewart Ave
- Walmart Supercenter, 4650 W North Ave
- Walmart Supercenter, 4626 W Diversey Ave
- Walmart Supercenter, 10900 S Doty Ave, reopened June 9
“Mayor Lightfoot has talked about the need for businesses not to disappear. Walmart’s commitment to Chicago remains strong. We are not going anywhere,” Walmart CEO Doug McMillon said in a statement. “Instead, we are making the investment to repair and reopen all of our stores in the city and help rebuild communities through our racial equity initiative, two new Walmart Health locations in the city, and access to training and education to create a stronger Chicago.”
