Walmart celebrates ‘second best day,’ grand reopening of Saint Clair store
KAYLEE LINDENMUTH / SHENANDOAH SENTINEL - Several 'day one' associates cut the ribbon on the newly-renovated Saint Clair Walmart location on Oct. 25, 2024.
SAINT CLAIR – Twenty-three years ago, the ribbon was cut on what was then the second largest Walmart in the Commonwealth on a day store officials said Friday they consider their best.
Friday, with some of the workers who helped open the doors of the store, Schuylkill County’s first, they cut the ribbon once again at the Saint Clair store following a lengthy renovation.
Market Manager Adam Kerstetter told a gathered crowd about the 16-week renovation and expressed appreciation for those who contributed to the project.
“The customers have beared with us through the past 16 weeks,” Kerstetter said. “We were walking through the store and a lady stopped us and thanked us for what we did and she said how much she loved the store and how great it looks.”
“And, she says she’s going to shop at this store, not the Hamburg store anymore,” Kerstetter joked.
The new store has a refreshed look with new displays. One area that was particularly reworked was the clothing section.
If you enter the entrance closest to Route 61, you’ll also notice a striking mural combining the heritage of Saint Clair and Pottsville, depicting a Saint Clair mine and the Yuengling Brewery.
It is part of the Walmart Community Mural Program, described as “a celebration of communities across America and an important part of a new or newly transformed facilities.”
The store opened in April of 2001 to great fanfare. Built on mining lands by the Rich Family of Companies, the store was one of the few mine reclamation successes in the past few decades in the region and marking the beginning of the development of the Coal Creek Commerce Center.
In the decades since, Tractor Supply, Home Depot, and GameStop, Dunkin’, and more have joined the Walmart location.
The Hazleton Standard~Speaker described the store as the second-largest Walmart Supercenter in Pennsylvania when it opened in 2001.
It was the first in Schuylkill County, predating the Hometown store by about six years. Stores had opened nearby in Coal Township and Hazleton in 1997 and 1995 respectively.
Today, along with a distribution center in the Highridge Industrial Park, Walmart is the largest employer in Schuylkill County.
As they did for the grand opening, the Pottsville Area Marching Band performed at the grand reopening, followed by a few laps around the store.
Walmart also made sizable donations at the event to the Schuylkill Chamber Foundation, Pottsville Area High School and Veterans of Vietnam War Schuylkill County Post.
It was capped off by a ribbon cutting including six of the nine employees who have been with the Saint Clair store since day one:
- Barbara Langlois, frontend cashier;
- Beth Devlin, seasonal associate;
- Christa Alexander, pharmacy associate;
- Janelle Yanni, meat and produce associate;
- Elvin Whitestone, meat and produce associate;
- Kathy Hamm, overnight stocker;
- Tammy Stonelake, overnight stocker;
- Antoinette Govern, frontend cashier;
- Pat Kelchner, hardlines sales associate.
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Cool mural