Walmart closes 368 stores, Amazon shuts down delivery stations as businesses confront tough weather - The Dallas Morning News

Walmart closed 415 stores and put together an interactive map to help Texas shoppers determine if their neighborhood favorite was open or not.

And if you didn’t see Amazon delivery trucks in your neighborhood Monday, the online retailing giant closed its delivery stations in Dallas-Fort Worth to protect its drivers from navigating treacherous roadways.

Businesses faced with unprecedented nasty weather across Texas, and elsewhere around the southern U.S., had to decide Monday if worker safety outweighed customer expectations that they’d be open for those needing food and other essentials.

Walmart said it has closed 368 stores in Texas and the Southeast including dozens in North Texas.

“We assess the status of our facilities and will continue to operate as long as it is safe to do so,” Walmart said. Customers can check the interactive map that’s its continuing to update before venturing out.

Some Walmart stores that are closed are still operating curbside pickup and delivery.

The prospects of a second snowstorm makes decisions trickier.

“The safety and well-being of our employees, customers and the drivers who deliver packages are our number one priority,” said Amazon spokesman Daniel Martin. “Out of an abundance of caution, we have currently closed our delivery stations in the Dallas/Fort-Worth area due to the inclement weather.”

While Amazon continues to evaluate the effects the winter storm on its operations in Texas, customers can check order status on the Amazon app or at www.amazon.com, Martin said. Amazon said it will continue to take orders, but the delivery promise date may be delayed depending on the item and location.

Kroger, which usually keeps stores open until 1 a.m., closed its doors at 8 p.m. on Monday. Central Market is closing its Dallas-Fort Worth stores at 6 p.m. Kroger will reopen stores at 8 a.m. Tuesday, two hours later than usual.

Empty shelves and freezer cases, reminiscent of the early days of the pandemic, are back at the grocery stores, but only temporarily.

Deliveries from the warehouse to stores are still happening, but at a much slower pace, said April Martin, spokeswoman for Kroger. Most big chains have their own truck fleets but supplement with third party drivers and vehicles. Kroger has backup generators but they are not working in many locations due to the rolling blackouts, Martin said.

Tom Thumb and Albertsons stores closed at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, said spokeswoman Christy Lara. The plan is for stores to open at 8 a.m. Tuesday, “if it’s safe for associates and customers,” she said. Some Tom Thumb and Albertsons stores weren’t able to open on Monday due to power outages.

Target closed 20 stores across Texas on Monday and closed early at about 20 more locations in Texas, Alabama, Arkansas and Mississippi. Stores will reopen “as soon as it’s safe,” the retailer said in an email. It’s updating hours on Target.com.

The malls are closed. NorthPark Center did not open Monday. Galleria Dallas initially said shoppers should call individual stores first before making the trek, but as of noon decided to close.

Golden Triangle Mall in Denton is also closed, and the shopping center has had rolling blackouts since 2 a.m. Stonebriar Centre in Frisco and Fireworks Town Center in Garland were also closed.

Downtown Dallas Inc. CEO Kourtny Garrett said many hotels, including The National and the Omni, are open, and at least a couple of restaurants have said they will remain open for service. The Flying Horse Café and the Crafty Irishman are putting their employees up in hotels.

Hotels are also helping to house first responders. Dallas Police Department staff are staying at the Lorenzo Hotel. And Garrett said most of the calls from downtown’s 12,000 residents have been to report homeless individuals without shelter.

As far as electricity, Garrett said towers are being asked to turn off their lights. Reunion Tower has confirmed that its signature big ball of lights would be turned off Monday night.

It’s not clear how much energy savings the city’s skyscrapers can generate, she said, but Downtown Dallas Inc. is asking that nonessential lights be turned off to assist the power grid.

Twitter: @MariaHalkias

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