PITTSBURGH — Two weeks before Black Friday, Nov. 11 was supposed to be the last Friday in business for the Walmart at the Waterworks Mall on Freeport Road, but when customers arrived Friday morning, the doors were locked.
One by one, customers walked up to the door Friday morning to see empty store shelves inside and a sign on the door. Walmart announced the decision to close the store last month, calling it an underperforming location.
Walmart said the reason for closing on Thursday was because customers had bought all of the store’s products.
“We already knew it was closing. We didn’t know it was this soon,” said Rev. Gerald Miller of Penn Hills.
“Just surprised — I’ve never heard of a Walmart closing in America. It’s just weird to hear,” said Marc Pencak of Vandergrift.
On Friday morning, Walmart sent Channel 11 the following statement regarding its employees:
“Our associates are the heartbeat of the company and our priority is to take care of them during this transition. We hope that most of the 187 associates will want to continue their career with Walmart by transferring to one of our many nearby stores. Our HR teams will help identify transfer opportunities and assist associates through the transfer process. All associates will be paid through Tuesday, January 31, 2023 unless they transfer to another location. After that date, if they do not transfer, eligible associates will receive severance.”
Walmart told Channel 11 there are eight stores within a 20-mile radius and encourages customers to visit those.
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