OREANDA-NEWS. The 500th Walmart Neighborhood Market is opening Wednesday, Jan. 7, following a brief ribbon-cutting ceremony at 7:30 a.m. The new store is conveniently located at East Sunshine Street and Blackman Road and is open 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week. The store will provide Springfield residents with low prices on a broad assortment of merchandise including fresh produce and meats, frozen foods, groceries and pharmacy.

The first Walmart Neighborhood Market opened in 1998, and the opening of the new store in Springfield marks 500 Walmart Neighborhood Market locations nationwide. The store will mark the occasion with special guest Missouri State Senator Mike Parson and Springfield Mayor Pro Tem Jeff Seifried attending the grand-opening ceremony.

"We have deep roots in Missouri and we are proud to open our 500th Neighborhood Market right here in Springfield," said Walmart Vice President and Regional General Manager Nick Berkeley. "Our customers tell us they like the convenience of Walmart Neighborhood Market stores for their grocery and pharmacy needs and we look forward to serving our customers here."

Customers can shop additional items including top toys, gifts, electronics and home decor on Walmart.com through Walmart pickup, which will offer free shipping to the Springfield Walmart Neighborhood Market. They can also use Walmart's new Savings Catcher receipt comparison tool to feel more confident they are getting some of the best deals available in Springfield. Savings Catcher looks at other top retailers' local ads and gives customers an eGift card for the difference if a competitor's offering is lower than the price they paid at Walmart. Savings Catcher is available through the free Walmart mobile app.

"I am proud that Springfield was chosen to be the site of the 500th Walmart Neighborhood Market opening," said store manager Jim Russell. "This is an exciting moment for Walmart but an even more exciting time for the city of Springfield as this will provide a new convenient and affordable shopping option for residents."

The new Springfield Walmart Neighborhood Market store offers fresh produce and a full line of groceries from leading brand names, including organic selections. By working with growers Walmart is able to provide farm-grown quality produce at added convenience and low prices.

The new store is approximately 41,000 square feet and offers a wide assortment to meet the needs of Springfield residents. In addition to groceries, the store features health and beauty aids, baby and pet products and cleaning supplies. Shopping is more convenient than ever as Springfield residents can shop an assortment of 7 million items on Walmart.com, many of which can be shipped for free to the new Walmart Neighborhood Market.