The space in the Marketplace at Factoria that has been empty since Mervyns left six years ago will open again Oct. 17 with a new retailer – Walmart.
The new 76,000 square-foot store will be the second Walmart to open in Bellevue this year, and it will have a complementary but different focus to the Walmart Neighborhood Market that opened in the Kelsey Creek Shopping Center June 29.
Bellevue’s Kelsey Creek Walmart highlights, “a broad assortment of groceries and a pharmacy,” while the Factoria store highlights “general merchandise, apparel electronics and more – from TVs, mops and brooms to small furniture,” says Rachel Wall, a senior manager of communication affairs for Walmart. However, the new Walmart also will cary a selection of food.
Both stores required hiring a significant number of new employees – from check stand workers to managers. So far, 125 positions have been filled for the Factoria store, and the hiring will continue into the holiday season. There are about 110 employees at the Kelsey Creek store. The average hourly wage for full-time Walmart associates is $13.
The grand opening is slated for 7:30 a.m. Oct. 17, and planned highlights include a speech by the store manager, a $65,000 grant that Walmart will give to the Puget Sound Blood Center, giveaways and interaction between vendors and customers.
