Walmart Is Opening Tiny, Homey ‘General Stores’ Off The Grid
The next time you’re out camping and forget to carry a skillet for s’mores, just pop by your closest Walmart location. And that probably won’t take a two-hour drive back to the city—mini Walmarts are about to spring up in nature so you can pick up essentials you may have forgotten to pack.
The big-box retailer is opening convenience stores on wheels, called ‘General Stores’, in areas off beaten paths, in partnership with Getaway, a popular tiny cabin rental service whose houses are tucked some distance off major cities and do not carry Wi-Fi or mobile service.
Walmart wants to wedge itself into the minds of consumers even when they’re away from home by trying its hand at making “meaningful experiences” in the hospitality sector, Brock Manheim, an associate director at Walmart US, tells Insider.
The General Stores add to the chain’s mission to “help people live better no matter where they are,” says Walmart US brand marketing vice president Casey Schlaybaugh in a separate statement. The stores away from home will “[empower people] to spend more quality time with those who matter most.”
The charming mobile shops, bearing the exterior of Getaway’s quintessential black wooden cabins, will offer seasonal travel essentials sourced by Walmart and handpicked by Getaway. These include snacks, hiking gear, cooking utensils, film cameras, and toiletries.
The first location will open this month at Getaway Hill Country in Wimberley, Texas, on the outskirts of Austin and San Antonio.
Since there’ll be no cell coverage, guests will be able to make their purchases from the dedicated Getaway shopping page in advance so they can pack less for their vacations. Getaway Outpost guests will also receive a free one-year Walmart+ trial, along with Welcome Kits to make s’mores within the next six months.
Other General Stores rolling out this year will be based in Machimoodus in Moodus, Connecticut; Getaway Big Bear in Running Springs, California; Getaway Western Catskills in Roscoe, New York; and Getaway Ozark Highlands in Osceola, Missouri.
View this post on Instagram
[via Insider and Retail Dive, images via various sources]
