Walmart made retail history today by opening its smallest store ever. While a tiny Walmart—the store near Georgia Tech’s campus is around 2,500 square feet—seems like an oxymoron, don’t let the size fool you.
Dubbed “Walmart on Campus,” the midtown Atlanta store offers everything from ink jets to ice cream to shampoo to cold cuts. “I’m pretty sure they have almost everything I’d buy,” said one student as she squeezed past me in the frozen food aisle. While the store doesn’t offer bikes or build-it-yourself furniture, I’d say that student made a pretty fair assessment.
To an attendant, another student said, “This is a great thing that you’ve done,” as others nodded their heads in agreement. When I approached the cash register with a frozen pizza in hand, the cashier who rang me up told me the day had been very busy, but also exciting.
Yes, there’s a Walmart greeter at the door. To your right: a cash register and two self-serve checkouts. The pharmacy, beauty products, and school supplies are at the far end of the space, and a ramp to the left leads to the food and beverage aisles.
Although I had to say “excuse me” every five seconds to avoid running into someone, I agree with what I overheard: it could become a haven for Yellow Jackets. Located at Technology Square (86 Fifth Street), the only thing the little Walmart doesn’t seem to have is ice cold Natty Light—and what’s college without cheap beer?
