Walmart Stores, Inc. announced plans today to close 269 stores, including three stores in East Texas.

Stores in our area that will close are in De Kalb, Hughes Springs, and Maud. The stores will close effective Jan. 28, 2016.

As part of today’s action, the company will close 154 locations in the U.S., including the company’s 102 smallest format stores, Walmart Express, which had been in pilot since 2011. Walmart instead will focus on strengthening Supercenters, optimizing Neighborhood Markets, growing the e-commerce business and expanding Pickup services for customers. Also covered in the closures are 23 Neighborhood Markets, 12 Supercenters, seven stores in Puerto Rico, six discount centers, and four Sam’s Clubs.

Internationally, the company  is following a disciplined strategy of actively managing its portfolio. Consistent with this strategy, the company is closing 115 stores outside the United States. This includes 60 recently-closed, loss-making stores in Brazil, which represents only 5 percent of sales in that market. The company has already been able to relocate many affected associates in Brazil to other stores. The remaining 55 stores are primarily small, loss-making stores in other Latin American markets.  Walmart will disclose more detail about those actions, including the number of stores per market, after completing local associate and community outreach.

Walmart will continue to invest in its future, with plans to open stores worldwide in the coming fiscal year. Domestically, Walmart intends to open 50 to 60 Supercenters and 85 to 95 Neighborhood Markets in Fiscal 2017, which begins Feb. 1. In the same period, Sam’s Club plans to open in seven to 10 new locations. Internationally, Walmart intends to open between 200 and 240 stores during the coming year.

Store Associates and Transition Assistance

In total, approximately 16,000 associates will be impacted by the decision, about 10,000 of them in the U.S. More than 95 percent of the closed stores in the U.S. are within 10 miles on average of another Walmart, and the hope is that these associates will be placed in nearby locations. Where that isn’t possible, the company will provide 60 days of pay and, if eligible, severance, as well as resume and interview skills training. Whether with Walmart or elsewhere, the company’s objective is to help all associates find their next job opportunity.

“The decision to close stores is difficult and we care about the associates who will be impacted,” McMillon said. “We invested considerable time assessing our stores and clubs and don’t take this lightly. We are supporting those impacted with extra pay and support, and we will take all appropriate steps to ensure they are treated well.”

Walmart will continue to serve the shopping needs of U.S. customers in the markets affected by today’s announcement through other Walmart locations and online at www.walmart.com. Customers can find the nearest Walmart store through the store locator function on the company’s website.

The stores closing in East Texas include the following locations and will shut down effective Jan. 28, 2016.

#4316: 1787 US Hwy 259 S, Diana, Texas

#4320: 1005 Texas Avenue E, Waskom, Texas

#4327: 870 Taylor St., Hughes Springs, Texas

#4331: 914 North Main St., Lone Star, Texas

#4338: 504 WL Doc Dodson, Naples, Texas

#4343: 12522 Fm 1840, De Kalb, Texas

#4345: 114 Redwater Boulevard West, Maud, Texas

More From Good Time Oldies 107.5