Walmart and Its Evolution Across Generations.
- jessetorres358
- Jul 18
- 5 min read
Updated: Jul 28
The Transformation of Walmart
Walmart Background
The origins of Walmart, a U.S.-based discount department store chain, trace back to 1950 when entrepreneur Sam Walton acquired a store from Luther E. Harrison in Oklahoma City.
Walmart was established in 1962 with its first store in Rogers, Arkansas. By 1968, it had expanded into Oklahoma and, by the 1980s, throughout the Southern United States. By 1995, Walmart had stores in every U.S. state and had opened its first locations in Canada.
Helen Robson became Sam Walton's wife
Walton wed Helen Robson on Valentine's Day, February 14, 1943. They had four children: Samuel Robson (Rob) born in 1944, John Thomas (1946–2005), James Carr (Jim) born in 1948, and Alice Louise born in 1949.
Walton integrated the idea of "service leadership" into Walmart's corporate framework, drawing inspiration from the concept of Christ as a servant leader and highlighting the significance of serving others rooted in Christianity.
The Passing of Sam Walton
Walton passed away on Sunday, April 5, 1992, just three months before Walmart's thirtieth anniversary, due to multiple myeloma, a form of blood cancer, in Little Rock, Arkansas. A few days prior, his son mentioned that Walton was still examining sales figures from his hospital bed.
Sam Walton remains are buried at the Bentonville Cemetery Arkansas. He bequeathed his ownership in Walmart to his wife and their children.
The Legacy of Sam Walton How it Continues
Walmart in Alamo officially opened in January 2001 at 1421 Frontage Road, Store 5165. It has been thriving for 20 years.
Over the years, Walmart has committed to a notable positive transformation.
But Walmart wasn't always what it is today.
When Walmart first started, they would sell fish and birds to the community. A good friend of mine frequently would visit Walmart almost every day to check out the fish they had.
However, years later, Walmart decided to eliminate them due to numerous complaints about the mistreatment of the animals.
In the past, Walmart stores didn't have bank tellers inside. Nowadays, every store includes various banks. It was a brilliant idea to make this change. Personally, I often need to visit the bank and having them nearby is very convenient for me.
What I appreciate about Walmart is the diverse range of employees in all their stores. This diversity is beneficial for customers, especially those in the community who have difficulty speaking English.
Walmart embraces individuals from diverse backgrounds who bring unique ideas or perspectives that may not have been previously acknowledged or considered in the past.
What I personally miss about Walmart is McDonald's. Every Friday, I would stop by and buy the Alamo police officers that were on duty a Coke or a combo, which always brought a big smile to both me and them. I always thought they deserved it and much more for their role in protecting the community.
In 1950, Alamo was not particularly noted for its diversity; it was mainly recognized as a predominantly white community. However, we were not yet a unified community. Despite this, we endeavored, and all types of diversity thrived for success.
Recognizing the importance of diversity is essential, as it forms the foundation for nature's productivity and provides valuable lessons for individuals to learn from the natural world, which Walmart has successfully accomplished.
Forthcoming Changes on the Horizon
Walmart implemented several changes, including the addition of more self-checkout lanes. Is this a strategic decision to help customers avoid long lines? In my view, it was indeed a wise move.
I had never seen a Walmart display their products like the one shown in the picture.
Walmart has truly surpassed themselves in demonstrating what they can achieve.
I spoke with several coworkers at Walmart who mentioned that they have been with the Walmart family for a long time and intend to retire there.
A former Walmart employee also shared that while working at the Alamo Walmart, she received letters of appreciation from someone she referred to as Mr. Sam. This former employee is also a resident of Alamo, where she was born and raised.
Another employee also mentioned to me that she drives a long commute to reach her destination, but she enjoys because she knows she heading to a fantastic job. Most importantly, she said she loves her Walmart family and wouldn't change them for anything.
Walmart is introducing a new feature: free delivery, allowing you to have your orders delivered directly to your home.
You can also arrange for your medications to be delivered straight to your home. Walmart and its improvements have proven to be an excellent option for the Alamo community.
Self-checkout has been available for a few years, but Walmart chose to take it a step further.
Walmart enhanced its service by expanding its self-checkout options, reducing the time you spend waiting in line.
However, this associate are always available if you need help. They are also very extremely nice.
While I was walking by, I bumped into David, who enjoys shopping at Walmart. He is also a member of the Alamo community.
Let's just say you run into the community where everyone knows you by name.
Preparing to celebrate the upcoming Grand Opening of Walmart.
As I was strolling through Walmart, I paused to chat with these incredible associates who informed me about the upcoming event. They explained that boxer's fighters would be there signing autographs for their fans.
Many associates from other Walmart also joined to celebrate this beautiful day with everyone.
Although I'm not a fan of boxing matches, many Walmart customers are.
Therefore, it was nice to see them smiling as they received autographs from them.
One thing I wasn't expecting to see at this beautiful event was the marshmallow man.
As many of the community members took pictures with the Ghostbusters who were extremely awesome.
Walmart had their own vendors distributing goodies to the people. I received a bag of goodies. They were extremely good.
Don't forget "Free"
Who doesn’t love free items, especially when they’re tasty snacks?
The conclusion of a remarkable event
There's no better way to conclude an event than with the Memorial High School Cheerleaders of class of 2026.
Great Leaders of Alamo 956 Texas
As we move forward into the future, Walmart has successfully preserved Sam Walton's legacy. If Sam is watching from above, he would surely be delighted to see his legacy being upheld with integrity by people of all diverse backgrounds here in the RGV.
Remember to show love and be exceptionally kind to others, as the city of Alamo will always embrace and accept everyone.
This is Britney J Torres saying Goodbye for now.
Story by Britney J Torres
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