By Cory L. Higgs
Wal-Mart has offered 24- hour shopping locally since becoming part of Patrick County in 2006, but that soon will change.
The company will condense its hours of operation to 6 a.m. to 1 a.m., according to a company spokesperson.
The change will take effect on Oct. 5, the spokesperson said.
“We’re continually looking at how we can best serve our customers,” the spokesman said, adding that part of that process was a review of shopping patterns at the Stuart store.
The review was conducted by the corporate office, he said, adding that data collected showed that there is a lack of foot traffic between 1 a.m. and 6 a.m.
Because of the rural location of the Stuart store, and lower populations compared to stores in other regions, company officials opted to close the local store during the low-peak hours of use.
The adjustment of hours and reallocation of resources will position the store to better serve the community, he added.
The spokesperson said the number of employees affected by the change it is not yet known because employees may have the option of transferring to work in a different department.
He said it is rare for employees to leave during similar transitions. However, a severance package may be available.
