Wal-Mart looks to bring Express concept to Sparta

A Sparta landowner is seeking annexation for a piece of property he told the city's Board of Aldermen this month that Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is interested in purchasing.

The roughly 2.28-acre spot, west of the city's industrial park, went before the board during its May 13 meeting. Sparta City Clerk Lana Wilson said the board approved a resolution to hold a public hearing on the matter during its June 10 meeting.

"The landowner did indicate Wal-Mart was buying his property for a Wal-Mart Express," Wilson said this morning.

She said farmer Bob Estep's request, if approved by the board, would annex the property into the city, which would ultimately benefit Sparta given Wal-Mart's interest in the area.

"They're coming. If they stayed out in the county, the county would get the sales tax," Wilson said. "We would be losing all the business to the county sales tax base. It would not be very good for the city to not annex it."
 
A relatively new concept for the Arkansas-based megaretailer - the first opened in Arkansas in 2011 - Express stores offer a smaller shopping experience, with a pharmacy, gas station and groceries. A store that opened in Oriental, N.C., on May 2 sits at 12,000 square feet. A roughly 3,700-square-foot Express store opened in Columbia in January. The company operates over 20 of the small stores, according to Walmart.com.

Estep and Wal-Mart spokespeople could not be reached for comment by deadline.

According to the Christian County Headliner News, Estep told the board he has signed paperwork with Wal-Mart but the deal hasn't yet closed.