Wal Mart finally opened its doors in Clovis following years of delays. The grand opening at the corner of Herndon and Clovis Avenue was held at 7:30am, but people were waiting in line as early as 4am.
"{I came} all the way from Visalia to check it out," said one customer.
It is a Super Wal Mart complete with a grocery store and hair and nail salons for a type of one-stop-shopping.
"It's closer. It's more convenient. It's right on my way to work and to home," said Clovis Resident Joan Keaton.
It is convenience that has been a long time coming.
"I'm really excited. It's finally here. It's been ten years in the making," said Store Manager Michelle Wilhoite.
Groups against Wal Mart filed lawsuits over environmental concerns. They also worried about the economic impact it would have on surrounding stores.
Clovis's mayor, on the other hand, supports the big box store, especially its job creation.
"We brought over 280 jobs and still hiring positions ranging from supervising position and cashiers," said Wilhoite.
More stores are opening or have opened at the Clovis Crossing Shopping Center. The city expects, in total, a creation of more than 1,000 jobs and an extra $500,000 in additional tax revenue every year.
Wal Mart also awarded $10,000 in grants to local community groups as part of its grand opening.
TXT 24
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