Walmart Opens Next Generation Supercenter in The Villages, Adds Jobs and Services

More than 400 new jobs and a 200,000-square-foot retail footprint came to The Villages when Walmart held a community grand opening for a Next Generation Supercenter on March 4, 2026, the company said in a press release. The event highlighted new services intended to speed shopping trips and expand assortment while preserving Walmart’s Every Day Low Prices.

Walmart’s press materials list the store address as 11115 Waxman Drive in The Villages. Daily Commercial and a YouTube clip use an alternate form, 1115 Waxman Drive, creating a numeric discrepancy in early coverage. Daily Commercial additionally reported the store opened to the public at 8 a.m. for the grand opening celebration.

Site details published by Daily Commercial show the scale of the project: a 200,000-square-foot building on 14.75 acres, a 2,904-square-foot fenced garden center, roughly 20 gasoline pumps beneath a 6,120-square-foot fuel canopy, 867 parking spaces and 38 cart corrals. Daily Commercial also reported that Wildwood officials received an 81-page plan from Walmart in September describing construction of the Supercenter and that The Villages has discussed installing a traffic light west of Morse Boulevard at Waxman Drive to manage access.

The store’s customer-facing features come from Walmart’s Business Wire release and trade coverage. The Supercenter offers express delivery in as little as an hour, including prescriptions, plus curbside pickup and a drive-thru pharmacy. Inside, Walmart markets a more open layout, expanded home and apparel sections, interactive digital touchpoints and a new Auto Care Experience that pairs digital interfaces with in-store technicians. Daily Commercial noted scannable QR codes, sharper signage and energy-efficient lighting as part of the company’s Store of the Future design changes.

Walmart framed the opening as both a jobs initiative and an associate support play. The press release said the store “brings more than 400 new jobs to the region” and that associates will have access to competitive pay, flexible schedules, paid time off and benefits including tuition-free college from day one. Store Manager Trish Rubio commented at the celebration, “Today is a proud moment for our team and The Villages community.” Rubio added, “Thanks to the dedication of our associates, we’re opening a store designed for how customers shop today - bringing new jobs, expanded services and even more value to this growing community.”

The grand opening included local leaders and a partnership announcement with Florida’s Fresh From Florida program. Florida Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson joined associates at the ceremony and said, “Florida’s farmers, ranchers, and growers are second to none, and this partnership between Fresh From Florida and Walmart puts their products front and center.” He added, “When shoppers see the Fresh From Florida label in Walmart and Sam’s Club stores, they can trust that they’re buying the freshest products, grown right here at home, and supporting the hardworking farm families across our state.” Business Wire said Fresh From Florida began rolling out earlier this year and will expand to several Sam’s Club locations later this month.

Walmart placed the Villages opening within a larger footprint plan, saying the store is part of an effort to build or convert more than 150 stores nationwide over the next several years. Trade outlets noted the new Villages Supercenter follows other Florida openings in Apollo Beach and Jacksonville, and that Walmart has started construction on a Neighborhood Market at 16625 SE 91st Phillips Court in The Villages expected to open in fall 2026. The Shelby Report and other coverage also highlighted Walmart’s intent to support regional suppliers, contractors and service providers as part of the investment.