Walmart Supercenter (72 & Hickory - Ranch Bowl)

[Brad]

You can call me a stick in the mud, or even a b*tch, but I just can't get excited about yet another Wally World.

Sorry.

I don't think anyone on here is excited about a walmart....

[Brad]

Here are a few photos I took over the Memorial Day Weekend:

[Erik]

You can call me a stick in the mud, or even a b*tch, but I just can't get excited about yet another Wally World.

Sorry.

I think your opinion is shared by the majority here..

[ThatGuy]

I'm not going to blow a gasket and start talking about walmart, but is 72nd street really suburban?

http://wakeupwalmart.com/

[almighty_tuna]

I'm not going to blow a gasket and start talking about walmart, but is 72nd street really suburban?

http://wakeupwalmart.com/

this has been thrown around a million times. The basic idea is that 72nd has been a traditional East-West dividing line, not to mention that most development west of 72nd is not urban/dense in nature.

[ShawJ]

Please excuse the bird poop all over the windshield.

[Coyote]

Please excuse the bird poop all over the windshield.

I thought that was your social statement on this project - a sort of artistic license.

[ShawJ]

Please excuse the bird poop all over the windshield.

I thought that was your social statement on this project - a sort of artistic license.

Ha, brilliant!

[Omababe]

Please excuse the bird poop all over the windshield.

I thought that was your social statement on this project - a sort of artistic license.

Incredibly appropriate! The whole project is like somebody took a huge dump!

[thenewguy]

while i understand that people do not like wal*mart, it really is not aesthetically unappealing, an eye sore in itself (if there was a big bulls-eye or a large "K" on it, I'm sure people would be saying "good for them" and etc). There are places that i don't like myself and I'll make comments on it, but seriously, it's like every other post is how shitty wal*mart is, or how they are the evil empire, etc etc, and really has nothing to do with this development itself. And it's not a personal attack on anyone (i enjoy much of what many of you say ) but come on, can we give it a rest for a moment or 2?

Oh, and FWIW, i was bummed out when i first heard that they were tearing out the ranch bowl to put in a shopping center

[pseudoprometheus]

Good point, thenewguy, but the companies taking residence in new development do matter.

Isn't Wal-Mart notorious for depressing property values? So in a way, this new store is like anti-development. Forgive us for grieving. :;):

[omahastylee459]

Grand opening October 29th

[nativeomahan]

I guess it says something about the sad state of my social/recreation life, but I am really looking forward to this store opening, as it is only 5 minutes or so from my home. It will be the exact opposite from the new Wohlner's market that opened at 67th and Center, which I finally visited on Friday and was very impressed by. I frankly wish all grocery stores were about the size and design of Wohlner's. But the prices for staples are high. A nice wine selection, and fairly priced.

I think Wohlner's will be very successful, especially as the area apartments/condos fill in. Those same residents will also fill the aisles at Walmart. And Walmart being open 24/7 is a nice thing, too. All in all, something for everyone in that part of town.

[Brad]

I just drove through that walmarts parking lot.... that's going to be a cluster....

[cdub]

The sneak peak is Tuesday from 6-730 if anyone is interested. I'd be surprised if they were able to keep track of who was 'invited' or not. I'm not sure how exciting a Walmart grand opening can be but maybe they will have snacks!

[the1wags]

I just drove through that walmarts parking lot.... that's going to be a cluster....

Yeah, time to avoid that stretch of 72nd at all costs.

[windsor]

Its has been two days now, has anyone checked out the store or the traffic?

[nativeomahan]

I was there at 9 pm on opening day. It is basically a big super Walmart on the inside. Subway and Great western Bank are also inside. Unlike other supercenters there is only one entrance, on the NE corner of the building, and all check out registers are located near that corner of the building. You enter on the grocery side of the store, near the deli/bakery, Subway and bank.

I think this will be a popular place to shop, as there are no supercenters within miles.

[omahastylee459]

A couple observations from the couple times I have been there. I still have never bought a single item from walmart in my entire life, but have been to many of them when friends buy things. Here is what I noticed:

1) The traffic really is horrible. The parking lot is a maze of turn lanes, pedestrian crossings, and medians. I can see how they tried to make it easy for masses of cars to enter and exit, but I think it made things confusing. I believe this will be a regular spot for fender benders.

2) There definitely are at least two entrances into the building. There is an entrance by the grocery area, and there is one right in the center of the building. There may be one towards the far west end by the landscaping section but I did not make it that far.

3) I like that they are thinking about power conservation and they keep the lights off during the day time. There are skylights throughout the building and they rely on natural lighting. During the night time they flip on the fluorescent lights.

4) Like other walmarts, this place is huge. I wasnt expecting such a large grocery section but just that part is as big as a normal Hy-Vee.

[nebugeater]

#3 I would almost guarantee that the only reason that they are "thinking" about this is that is saves them $$$. Not a bad thing at all but this would be their driver. I have not been in this store but I have noticed recently in a couple of other WM stores when I have been in in the early AM hours and in the glass door freezer sections that the lights are off and turned on my motion or prox sensors as you walk down the isle. You will notice this is the store is busy at all. The time delay to shut them off is a bit long. Kind of strange and spooky the first time it happens to you but a good idea that again saves $$$.

A couple observations from the couple times I have been there. I still have never bought a single item from walmart in my entire life, but have been to many of them when friends buy things. Here is what I noticed:

1) The traffic really is horrible. The parking lot is a maze of turn lanes, pedestrian crossings, and medians. I can see how they tried to make it easy for masses of cars to enter and exit, but I think it made things confusing. I believe this will be a regular spot for fender benders.

2) There definitely are at least two entrances into the building. There is an entrance by the grocery area, and there is one right in the center of the building. There may be one towards the far west end by the landscaping section but I did not make it that far.

3) I like that they are thinking about power conservation and they keep the lights off during the day time. There are skylights throughout the building and they rely on natural lighting. During the night time they flip on the fluorescent lights.

4) Like other walmarts, this place is huge. I wasnt expecting such a large grocery section but just that part is as big as a normal Hy-Vee.

[thenewguy]

saves money, yes, but they've been trying to get after new green initiatives for a while

[windsor]

The news said that this location is smaller than a normal Super Walmart, however with its unique design and small lot it just looks much larger.

[heyimjason]

I guess I'm gonna be one of the few that don't care either way. I had some great times at the Ranch Bowl like lots of people here.. but just because we had good times there doesn't mean that it's coming back (especially with the Walmart up). Omaha's a growing city. This is just another sign of progress.

Why did the Ranch Bowl close anyways? I've heard that it was sold. If that's the case, the owner(s) didn't feel the same way that most people here do. Why didn't anybody else buy the land to build something else on it? Whatever the reasons, they didn't. Walmart did. And let's face it, that Walmart is probably going to flourish, with or without a few hundred upset people's business.

It's just how cities grow. Eventually, more local favorite places will be sold, destroyed, changed, whatever. It can suck.. but it's just how things work. A lot of people who complain about that kind of remind me of mother that don't want their kids to grow up and leave home.

The only thing I haven't been able to figure out is why nobody has built a similar place elsewhere, since the Ranch Bowl did close. I always saw lots of people there. Seems like one would make decent money owning a similar place.

[almighty_tuna]

for those who still want to experience some nostalgia, google maps still shows the ranch bowl

[Brad]

Noticed a whole bunch of storage containers in the 72 & Hickory Walmart Parking Lot. I asked the kid working what was going on. He said "They are going to move the store this way so its going to be a little bigger".... Not sure what he meant by that.

[nebugeater]

Noticed a whole bunch of storage containers in the 72 & Hickory Walmart Parking Lot. I asked the kid working what was going on. He said "They are going to move the store this way so its going to be a little bigger".... Not sure what he meant by that.

I suppose it is better to move it this way vs. that way.

[locoluke]

Noticed a whole bunch of storage containers in the 72 & Hickory Walmart Parking Lot.

Is it possible they’re going to put in new electric car chargers? They just completed a similar project at the Walmart out on 180th and W. Center.

[nativeomahan]

I was told recently that the store is about to undergo a “Complete remodel.”

[Stan]

Noticed a whole bunch of storage containers in the 72 & Hickory Walmart Parking Lot.

Is it possible they’re going to put in new electric car chargers? They just completed a similar project at the Walmart out on 180th and W. Center.

It's not currently on the list of their upcoming chargers. N99th street and 180th and Center in addition to 168th and Maple are the only ones showing on their site.

[Brad]

Noticed a whole bunch of storage containers in the 72 & Hickory Walmart Parking Lot. I asked the kid working what was going on. He said "They are going to move the store this way so its going to be a little bigger".... Not sure what he meant by that.

I suppose it is better to move it this way vs. that way.

LOL! I guess I should clarify, I was at the curbside pickup door which is on the west end of the building. So the store is moving to the west?

I was told recently that the store is about to undergo a “Complete remodel.”

Makes sense with what the kid was saying about the store moving and getting a little larger.

[jag42]

Off topic, but is 18 years the longest amount of time between posts on eomahaforums.com?

[Busguy2010]

Wow, hard to believe 18 years ago. Back when it was first open, I was excited about it, given that I had no connection to Ranch Bowl. It was the furthest east super center and it was nice back then. Now its a giant |expletive| hole, even for Walmart lol

It was my go-to, but once it started gettin janky, it became no better than Irvington, soooo, its a wash now.

I was told once before "its the smallest Walmart in the region". And that was before the remodel they did around 2021 (?) Where they took some shopping sf for the online order area. Often find myself going to the other locations because they carry a lot of items this one doesnt.

[Greg S]

Wow, hard to believe 18 years ago. Back when it was first open, I was excited about it, given that I had no connection to Ranch Bowl. It was the furthest east super center and it was nice back then. Now its a giant |expletive| hole, even for Walmart lol

It was my go-to, but once it started gettin janky, it became no better than Irvington, soooo, its a wash now.

I was told once before "its the smallest Walmart in the region". And that was before the remodel they did around 2021 (?) Where they took some shopping sf for the online order area. Often find myself going to the other locations because they carry a lot of items this one doesnt.

Did the Wal Mart Supercenter on Ames open after this one?

[Busguy2010]

Did the Wal Mart Supercenter on Ames open after this one?

Yeah, I wanna say it opened in 2014.

[Brad]

Did the Wal Mart Supercenter on Ames open after this one?

Yeah, I wanna say it opened in 2014.

Correct, January 2014:
viewtopic.php?t=12484

[nativeomahan]

This store isn’t my favorite place to shop, but I do so at least once a month when I’m in Omaha. They have some of my preferred foods and other grocery related products that none of the other chains in town carry. I like the product mix better. There is a larger Latin American produce and dairy selection, for one thing. It may not be up to Nuestra Familia levels, but it is close.

[Busguy2010]

Went there earlier tonight. West end of the store was all out of sorts, and where the garden center was, walls lined with refrigerator/freezers.

This store is so darn busy all the time, it would still do well if they put a neighborhood market right across the street. The refrigerators up front makes me wonder IF it could be some sort of "express" shopping area, like a mini store within the store. That would be great, cause often, like tonight I only have one item I'm after. After seeing how long the check out line was I said forget it. Would be cool to have a quick grocery entrance.

[advcomp2019]

When did they remodel the store?

I know they added a wall in the back corner, and that is why the Lawn and Garden is a long hallway.