1/18/07

Blast Off!
Manning’s Super Wal-Mart set to launch
By Brian Jarvis

CATHY GILERT/Manning Times
Wal-Mart Supercenter manager, Robert Kicks, center, welcomed Chamber President Lamar Kennedy and Chamber Manager Dawn Griffith to Tuesday night’s VIP evening. The new 155,000 sq. ft. store is slated to open on Friday.

As of 8 a.m. Friday, Wal-Mart will officially morph into Super Wal-Mart in a step that city officials are predicting will mirror Clarendon County’s inexorable transition from a rural county to a thriving community.
Though the move from Manning West Shopping Center to 529 Paxville Hwy. is only a few blocks, the differences are stark. At 155,000 square feet – almost four times the size of the original – Super Wal-Mart will offer a full line of groceries, auto service, hair and nail salons, a vision center, self-checkout stations and a family restroom. Every department has doubled, tripled or quadrupled; the home line section by itself is almost the size of the old store.

“Everybody can get what they need in one place. One-stop shopping is what we’re all about,” said store manager Robert Hicks. “Anything to make improvements, internally or externally, we have it all right here. How many people have to drive to Florence to buy a hi-definition television? We have everything that you can get at Circuit City or Best Buy.”

Pointing to a four-in-one backpack with specialized compartments for laptops and computer parts, Hicks added, “Where else in Manning can you buy this? Where else can you buy an iPod? And what would they charge?”

Hicks, who began his tenure as a part-time associate, seemed to beam with pride as he told his story of working up the ranks in record time.

“I started off as a 21-year-old kid stocking shelves in the frozen foods. Six and a half years later, I’m the manager. At Wal-Mart, you’re not judged by your age, race, religion, gender or how much education you have. You’re judged by one thing only: your job performance.”

All 84 employees from the old Wal-Mart will be staying onboard, 12 of which have been with the company since it first came to Clarendon 20 years ago. Of the 170 or so remaining slots, Wal-Mart has already received nearly 2,000 applications. Average wage for a full-time associate: $10.11 per hour.

“We look forward to serving the community,” wrote Hicks in a recent press release. “Many associates join because they know they have the opportunity for a long-lasting career.”

Though Wal-Mart has endured negative publicity over the years for allegedly running Mom and Pop operations out of business, especially in small towns, Hicks sees it otherwise.

Pointing out that his company doesn’t sell lumber or compete with stores that offer specialization such as hemming or tailoring clothes, Hicks said that he believes Wal-Mart and small businesses can thrive together. He also noted that a mini-mall’s worth of new stores will be opening adjacent to Super Wal-Mart, though their names have yet to be released.

“People fear that we’re this big box monster, but nothing could be further from the truth,” Hicks said. “We keep people here in the community, in the city of Manning, so they don’t have to drive 30 or 40 miles to buy what they need. If anything, we draw more people into the community, which brings more business to smaller competitors.”

Manning Mayor Kevin Johnson was equally supportive in his praise and cautiously optimistic about the long-term effects on local enterprise.

“I’m excited about having a Supercenter in Manning,” Johnson said. “I think it will allow citizens to have a shopping atmosphere with quality goods and competitive prices. Hopefully we’ll be able to have a successful venture and, at the same time, not do too much harm to our existing businesses. I just share the excitement with a lot of our citizens about Super Wal-Mart coming.”

To prove its commitment, Super Wal-Mart has already made charitable contributions totaling $17,500 to four organizations: the Animal Shelter of Clarendon County, Manning High School Air Force JROTC, Manning Police Dept. and the Clarendon County Disabilities and Special Needs Board.

“We’re not going to be a separate identity from the community. We’re part of the community,” Hicks said. “Whether it’s financial donations or volunteering at Relay for Life, we are Manning.”