Walmart's huge remodeling plan in the Milwaukee suburbs offers a new way to shop and a nursing room - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Jim Riccioli Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Published 2:00 PM EDT Apr 16, 2019

From a shopper's standpoint, Walmart brings to mind certain images.

That imagery is about to change, though some of what's new will be behind the scenes, as the nation's largest retailer unveils $61 million worth of improvements that includes the complete remodeling of its Mukwonago, Pewaukee, Greenfield and Germantown stores.

The work has already begun to transform the more than 200,000-square-foot Mukwonago store, built in 1990. Pewaukee will undergo floor layout changes this summer, followed by Greenfield and Germantown this fall.

But unlike most remodelings, where the focus is more likely to be about aesthetics, this initiative transcends store layout changes, incorporating improvements in functionality by introducing innovations that change the way shoppers shop, according to Walmart officials.

Convenience in mind

The innovations include the installation of pickup towers — 16-foot-tall high-tech vending machines capable of fulfilling a customer’s online order in less than a minute once they arrive at the store.

The effort also includes the addition of grocery pickup at stores and grocery delivery services at locations that haven't already incorporated those features.

"Most of these innovations are meant to make the shopping experience more convenient, of course," said Tiffany Wilson, communications director for Walmart's western zone, which includes Wisconsin stores.

"The second part of that is just giving customers options," Wilson added. "So, whether you like to shop in store, and touch and feel all of your products and pick out your own groceries, you have that option. Or if you like to shop completely online and have everything delivered to you on your doorstep. Or you like a combination of the two."

It's a balancing act that Walmart recognizes is ever changing as it caters to those who look for modern conveniences.

"Customers' tastes are changing," Wilson said. "And, you know, the same customer may have a different preference on a different day."

Walmart has been phasing in grocery pickup for some time. The service allows shoppers to order online and then, without having to leave their cars, have the order loaded at a designated spot in the parking lot. (The service was quietly added to Walmart stores in Waukesha, Muskego and Mukwonago in 2018.)

The pickup towers inside the stores offer a convenience built on technology. According to Walmart, the process is simple. Once the order is ready, customers merely step up to the tower and scan the bar code sent to their smartphones to retrieve their items.

The pickup tower is already in operation in Mukwonago and Germantown, with Greenfield and Pewaukee expected to get the new tech by late spring, Wilson said, adding that customers have praised its usefulness as the company continues to test new ideas and adapt.

Testing new tech

"Retail is evolving, and we have to evolve along with it," Wilson said. "We have been testing a lot of innovations over the years, and we kind of look to our customers to give us feedback about what is working and what isn't. And our associates, too."

Some of the innovations won't be obvious or be directly tied to customer convenience.

In a news release announcing the remodeling of 11 Wisconsin stores, Walmart also promoted is new FAST Unloader and autonomous floor scrubbers, innovations designed to free up store employees' time so that they can concentrate on other duties, including fulfilling online orders.

The FAST Unloader is a backroom machine that automatically scans and sorts items that come off trucks based on priority and department, allowing associates to spend less time unloading in the backroom, according to the company.

The floor scrubbers are automated devices that will roam the concrete floors, using technology to guide the machines throughout stores.

Germantown won't get the floor scrubber until early 2020, well after its remodeling, while Greenfield will get one this month, before changes in the store layout.

Not all of the innovations will be introduced during the remodeling of each store, Wilson said. Some will actually be installed before the remodeling.

The unloader system is already in place at the Greenfield store, which will undergo remodeling this fall.

In Mukwonago, where the remodeling began recently, the FAST Unloader will be installed after the grand reopening this summer. The floor scrubber will follow sometime in 2020, Wilson said.

Other changes

The less technological elements of the remodeling include the addition of a mothers room and a consultation room in the pharmacy area, both affording some privacy to customers under different circumstances.

"Each remodel is a little different, but most of the stores are getting state-of-the-art electronic departments with interactive displays, an update of the money center and expanded apparel departments — because we have some new apparel lines that we're really proud of," Wilson said.

The remodeling typically involves some store layout changes, including logical changes like moving the pickup kiosk to the front of all stores so customers don't have to traverse too deeply inside when it isn't necessary, she said.

Wilson declined to specify what the cost of remodeling is per store, but added that each project is typically "a multimillion dollar effort."

Contact Jim Riccioli at (262) 446-6635 or james.riccioli@jrn.com. Follow him on Twitter at @jariccioli.

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