i don't know where i got it in my head that this one was going to be in brick... really disappointed by the cheap facade. -M

i don't know where i got it in my head that this one was going to be in brick... really disappointed by the cheap facade. -M

I think I may have said something before about it not. According to the people in the neighborhood just there to the east they were told it was supposed to look like the one in Edmond on I35. That's the last I heard, but appears as it's their standard look.

I hope this means that crappy Valero gas station on that corner finally has to compete. They always jacked up their fuel prices and the stuff they sold was expired and dusty.

This.

Wal-Mart is a bully that seeks to dominate and force out existing businesses so people will have no choice but to shop there. Neither Target, AMC, or SuperCuts operate that way. I believe its been statistically proven that every time a Supercenter opens, at least one or many times two nearby traditional grocery stores close their doors (I will be very surprised if Homeland at S 104th and Penn survives this Wal-Mart). When Wal-Mart closes older locations they sit on the real estate as to keep competition from coming in. Also, compare a typical shopping center anchored by Wal-Mart to one anchored by Target (or Kroger or Tom Thumb) and make note of the differences. Wal-Mart is a business and everything they do is within the confines of the law, but that doesn't mean that I, as a consumer, have to like it.


You are correct and OnCue appears to have adopted that same business model in OKC.... OKC today-the World tomorrow!

I also drive by this everyday and noticed that brick was going up on part of the facade.

Plans to build strip center and more along I-44. (BTW, 'National QSR' = undetermined fast food)

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/104i44.jpg

Freestanding fast food? There is a McDonalds 3/4 mile down 104th and nothing really else for several miles. Hopefully a Chick fil a instead of a Taco Bell. What QSRs are expanding in OK that use free standing buildings? DQ and Del Taco both are adding free standing locations.

I hate this, I wish we could have some areas undeveloped like the still open areas around I-44, I like the open spaces where there is still a little country left in the city.

I hate this, I wish we could have some areas undeveloped like the still open areas around I-44, I like the open spaces where there is still a little country left in the city.

I agree but knew it was going to develop at some point when we moved out here 8 years ago. Really hate the fact that it is a Walmart going in instead of a Target (really....anything would be better than Walmart). This intersection is going to be horrible but I did notice yesterday that they are working on the SB off ramp. Hopefully they are making it wider and adding a right turn lane. Maybe Pete can find out if there are any plans to change the streets at this intersection.

I agree but knew it was going to develop at some point when we moved out here 8 years ago. Really hate the fact that it is a Walmart going in instead of a Target (really....anything would be better than Walmart). This intersection is going to be horrible but I did notice yesterday that they are working on the SB off ramp. Hopefully they are making it wider and adding a right turn lane. Maybe Pete can find out if there are any plans to change the streets at this intersection.

Hopefully that plan that Pete posted has the other side of the highway included. Hopefully they have the off ramp spilling onto Portland.

I can't remember when it was posted here, but didn't someone mention that Walmart was also chipping in to re-do the on/off ramps to I-44 and the street intersection itself to accommodate the increased traffic?

Yeah I thought at some point the off ramp was going to dump onto Portland to eliminate multiple intersections.

Drove by this weekend and noticed it looked like they were starting to add lights at the off ramp on 104th. So sure seems like there is going to be 4 lights very close to one another. Talk about a nightmare.

Does anyone happen to know when the new Walmart Superstore in SE Norman is opening? It looks like they're getting close, but I haven't seen any signs on the property announcing a grand opening or any articles in the Transcript about it.

Does anyone know what if any other plans are in store for this area?

Does anyone have links to drawings showing how the I-44/104th interchange is going to be rebuilt/affected? Curious how traffic is going to be routed.

Curious how traffic is going to be routed.

I came here with a similar question in mind and I see that I'm not alone with the idea of moving the SB ramp to dump the traffic onto Portland, thereby making everyone drive through the existing signaled intersection. Right now, I really can't tell what's going on and I'm too scared to take my eyes off of the road to look! However, I think the "Portland Dump" idea would mean having to build an entirely new exit ramp from SB I-44; in my non-engineering mind, that would mean one hell of a sharp curve to negotiate without some severe modifications.

While I'm wandering around in my non-engineering and free-spending mind :p, I think that the entire southbound ramp area should be redone to the point where westbound drivers on 104th would have to turn north on Portland to access I-44 south, instead of having to make that already-dicey left turn from 104th (I can see it, I just can't articulate it very well). As someone alluded to in an earlier post, traffic lights replacing the four-way stops is going to be an aggravating inconvenience, so the real engineers might want to get in front of that before they have to play catch-up again.

Finally, does anyone know what will become of that lot where the old Shell/Big Johnson's stood? I know it's being used for a storage shed sales lot, but is that "permanent"?

This is how I envision them setting up the ramps. They could go further and set up a Texas turnaround on the North side of 104th to eliminate some of the traffic for Walmart. Sorry it is a bit hard to read, I don't want to save on the live map.
12430

They turned the power on at this location. Should be ~3 months now.

Does anyone happen to know when the new Walmart Superstore in SE Norman is opening? It looks like they're getting close, but I haven't seen any signs on the property announcing a grand opening or any articles in the Transcript about it.

It is open. I think they opened on Fri. I went into it last night on my way home from work (~1230am) it seemed clean and nice. I noticed they don't have as many products as the other Norman ones, not quite as big as the normal SW. Probably more like the Purcell one.

Has anybody heard what food joints will be going in around this location? I know they will be building an Arby's on the location of the old gas station at 104th and May. Will be nice to have a few extra choices near there. Hoping for a Wendy's, Red Robin, or Pei Wei!

Hoping for a Wendy's, Red Robin, or Pei Wei!Just curious, do these restaurants genuinely excite you or is it just something nice that you will be glad to have as an option close by?

I don't actually get excited for many food places. Empire Pizza in the Plaza District is probably my go to answer for "going out" when I get the choice, but Red Robin and Pei Wei both have some tasty options and I would like to have a closer option. I don't eat Wendy's myself (unless it is a Frosty!), but my kid loves to bug me for a Baconator once a month and I would like to not have to drive far to scratch that itch. I cook at home 90% of the time, but when it is that 10% that I eat out, I want more options besides McDonald's, Braum's, or Subway.

What about all the Street lamps on the West side of I44 Starting at 104th? Anyone know of actual plans for what is going in ?

What about all the Street lamps on the West side of I44 Starting at 104th? Anyone know of actual plans for what is going in ?

That's being discussed in the Will Rogers World Airport - Eastside Commercial Development! (http://www.okctalk.com/showthread.php?t=24497) thread. I don't think anything is concrete yet since they're still working on finishing the re-route of Portland.

There is going to be so many stop lights in this area it's going to be ridiculous.

There is going to be so many stop lights in this area it's going to be ridiculous.

I take this route to work every day, I hope they time them so they are all green at the same time.

I take this route to work every day, I hope they time them so they are all green at the same time.

Agreed. If not I imagine it's going to be a nightmare. If they don't I recommend submitted a service request for the city to synchronize them and keep submitting until they do.

*Off topic* The Bell isle Walmart has really stepped up their game. I don't ever have anything good to say about Walmart, but my experience today was very pleasant. The isles were clean and fully stocked, produce looked good, and about 3 employees asked if I needed anything. That's a record.

*Off topic* The Bell isle Walmart has really stepped up their game. I don't ever have anything good to say about Walmart, but my experience today was very pleasant. The isles were clean and fully stocked, produce looked good, and about 3 employees asked if I needed anything. That's a record.

That's because they're undergoing a remodel. Walmart has always ramped up their staff during a remodel because they can blow their payroll that year anyway to lump in with the remodel cost. Then over the next several years, they slowly thin out payroll through attrition and not replacing emptied positions. They usually do a 7 or 8 year remodel/refresh cycle in each store, so that reduction goes over that length of time before being ramped up again for another re-do. I will never miss working for that company lol.

Ugh they put in a light in front of Walmart's gas station as well. 4 lights in less than a quarter of a mile.

I take this route to work every day, I hope they time them so they are all green at the same time.

Getting OUT of that walmart is going to be a nightmare. I dread Christmastime. I just hope they get that I44 service road cut in quickly.

Ugh they put in a light in front of Walmart's gas station as well. 4 lights in less than a quarter of a mile.

Where are the other lights? I haven't been down that street since the last time I was in town (Feb).

Where are the other lights? I haven't been down that street since the last time I was in town (Feb).

There is one at Portland, one at each on/off ramp of I-44 and one where the Walmart gas station / entrance is.

Yep they have totally messed this area up with lights. Are sure hope all 4 are synced if not going to suck. If they aren't I plan on putting in a request to sync then continually until it's done.

The lights come with the Walmart. You haven't seen nothing yet, in less than five years this area will be just like Penn and Memorial or 19th street in Moore.

The lights come with the Walmart. You haven't seen nothing yet, in less than five years this area will be just like Penn and Memorial or 19th street in Moore.

It will also become one of the worst for accidents, because the service road paralleling I-44 south of 104th is not controlled by the lights, just the northbound exit ramp to 104th. Until they rebuid that service road and integrate that exit, you'll have people coming onto 104th from a stopsign literally 30 feet from a controlled intersection. It's already a hazard as it is with people all-but ignoring that stop sign yapping on their freakin' phones. I've nearly been broadsided more than once there. Infuriating.

It will also become one of the worst for accidents, because the service road paralleling I-44 south of 104th is not controlled by the lights, just the northbound exit ramp to 104th. Until they rebuid that service road and integrate that exit, you'll have people coming onto 104th from a stopsign literally 30 feet from a controlled intersection. It's already a hazard as it is with people all-but ignoring that stop sign yapping on their freakin' phones. I've nearly been broadsided more than once there. Infuriating.

I'm pretty sure they just recently added lights at all these now. There are 4 sets of lights, one on Portland, one on exit ramp for southbound, one for exit ramp north bound, one at the new entrance to Walmart.

I'm pretty sure they just recently added lights at all these now. There are 4 sets of lights, one on Portland, one on exit ramp for southbound, one for exit ramp north bound, one at the new entrance to Walmart.

That does not include the service road that runs parallel to I-44.

I drive this route every day on the way home. The intersection on the east side of the highway is (or will shortly be) light controlled for the exit ramp and interchange. The entrance to WalMart will be controlled. The service road, however, which is ever so slightly east of the interchange, does not appear to have any light control pending.

I am hoping this is because there is some plan in someone's head to rebuild that service road, and then integrate the exit ramp, which is how most other such exit/service roads are handled. Right now, that service road is a nightmarish, pothole laden mess that was never thought to handle even a micro-fraction the traffic it will start handling as people from the SW 119th area start using it to get to WalMart. For the last twenty-plus years, the only thing that service road has handled has been people heading down to the Earlywine golf course or driving range.

That does not include the service road that runs parallel to I-44.

I drive this route every day on the way home. The intersection on the east side of the highway is (or will shortly be) light controlled for the exit ramp and interchange. The entrance to WalMart will be controlled. The service road, however, which is ever so slightly east of the interchange, does not appear to have any light control pending.

I am hoping this is because there is some plan in someone's head to rebuild that service road, and then integrate the exit ramp, which is how most other such exit/service roads are handled. Right now, that service road is a nightmarish, pothole laden mess that was never thought to handle even a micro-fraction the traffic it will start handling as people from the SW 119th area start using it to get to WalMart. For the last twenty-plus years, the only thing that service road has handled has been people heading down to the Earlywine golf course or driving range.

I don't know why they wouldn't fix this right now instead of putting up a new signal light that will have to be moved in a couple of years. Post 79 has a diagram of the ideal setup. The ramps would feed into the service road and that service road would be extended up to 89th street. I'm sure this is still the long term plan, but they just wanted an easy quick solution.

Should have built the stupid Walmart on the other of the interstate where the city has already spent millions of dollars on infrastructure.

That does not include the service road that runs parallel to I-44.

I drive this route every day on the way home. The intersection on the east side of the highway is (or will shortly be) light controlled for the exit ramp and interchange. The entrance to WalMart will be controlled. The service road, however, which is ever so slightly east of the interchange, does not appear to have any light control pending.

I am hoping this is because there is some plan in someone's head to rebuild that service road, and then integrate the exit ramp, which is how most other such exit/service roads are handled. Right now, that service road is a nightmarish, pothole laden mess that was never thought to handle even a micro-fraction the traffic it will start handling as people from the SW 119th area start using it to get to WalMart. For the last twenty-plus years, the only thing that service road has handled has been people heading down to the Earlywine golf course or driving range.

I know what you are talking about now, and I honestly didn't even know that road went all the way to 119th. I just figured people would use Portland or May depending on where they live if they want to get to that Walmart. With all this going up along I44, it sure it cutting those of us that live West of I44 off from the rest of South OKC.

The supercenter on NW Expressway and Council is adding an out-building that looks like it will be a pickup spot for on-line ordering.

I suspect they will be adding these in most their locations.



http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/walmart061016a.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/walmart061016b.jpg

It's a gas station

http://www.wsj.com/articles/wal-mart-to-pump-its-own-gasoline-1454543632

Yeah, most Walmart's have been adding a door and designated parking on the side of the building near the grocery section for online pickup.

It's a gas station

http://www.wsj.com/articles/wal-mart-to-pump-its-own-gasoline-1454543632

Ah, that makes sense. Thanks.

Ah, that makes sense. Thanks.

Probably will improve their pricing power, because they already have Sam's Club fueling centers. I imagine if they can buy even more than they do now they will get better prices.

Pretty much every Wal Mart in these parts have a Murray gas station located at the far end of the parking lot. Murray is a stand alone business that while located at Wal Marts is not owned by Wal Mart.

Hasn't Sam's had fuel centers for awhile? Seems like a natural move for Wal-Mart to make.

Pretty much every Wal Mart in these parts have a Murray gas station located at the far end of the parking lot. Murray is a stand alone business that while located at Wal Marts is not owned by Wal Mart.

Walmart is taking over the Murphy USA stations for themselves and adding more locations.

Ah, that makes sense. Thanks.

That's not a gas station with that layout, our original thought has got to be correct. The plans available have nothing about adding underground storage tanks, and there is a Circle K a football toss away from the site.

The WSJ article may be right, but not about this site.

Here is a closer look at one of the plan sheets.

I really think this is for their on-line pick-up service. In another sheet you can see a conveyor system.

I believe they receive the orders, bundle them up, take them in through the receiving overhead door, then use the conveyor system to bring the bundle forward when the car pulls into the drive-thru.

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/walmart061016c.jpg

The Mustang Walmart has something like this being built. At first I thought gas station. At a second look it looks like a drive up bank with the tube system that moves things. It makes sense now that it would be pick up. The outside wall next to the are is orange and which is the same color as the pickup area inside. Also, the area in on the other side of the wall is the online pickup.

It is open. I think they opened on Fri. I went into it last night on my way home from work (~1230am) it seemed clean and nice. I noticed they don't have as many products as the other Norman ones, not quite as big as the normal SW. Probably more like the Purcell one.
How could a new built store not seem nice and clean? Or is this new Wal-Mart in an old building?

The Mustang Walmart has something like this being built. At first I thought gas station. At a second look it looks like a drive up bank with the tube system that moves things. It makes sense now that it would be pick up. The outside wall next to the are is orange and which is the same color as the pickup area inside. Also, the area in on the other side of the wall is the online pickup.
Interesting how some things don't change over the course of decades. Tubes still being used.

Interesting how some things don't change over the course of decades. Tubes still being used.

They built air tubes on the Denver airport to send small to medium sized aircraft parts directly to the gate. Not every gate has them, probably every 3rd gate. Good idea in theory, as soon as a mechanic knows what he needs he can radio it in to "stores". They put the part in a box and send it to the closest gate within minutes. A lot of stuff got broken or stuck, so they abandoned that system and went back to the old way of just driving the part from the stores facility to planeside. Interesting concept though.

How could a new built store not seem nice and clean? Or is this new Wal-Mart in an old building?

It is a new building, I stated that because I have walked into places that were new and didn't seem nice. Also there is a lot of dirt and grime associated with construction and if a building wasn't thoroughly cleaned after the construction, it wouldn't be clean. The Natural Grocers store on S 89th and Penn isn't as nice as the Norman or the one on N 70th. It is smaller and harder to find things, not as well organised. And I go to the S 89th store and the Norman store all the time. I just was at the S 89th store, it is more convenient stopping by when I am going to work than the Norman one.

I noticed that the Sam's Club at 39th & May has the "Scan & Go" function, where you use your smartphone to scan items as you shop and place them in your cart, then walk up to the self-checkout and transfer your cart total to the screen, then quickly pay and go.

I know they tested this at Walmarts but not sure this feature is actually implemented at any other local stores. Looking at their website, this appears to be only such Sam's Club in Oklahoma.

Pretty slick. I've been pleasantly surprised by Sam's Club as I expected to miss Costco a lot more.

Cool. I didn't know about that. Just downloaded the app.

After reading more about the Scan & Go concept, it seems they tested it in some Walmarts around the country and decided not to roll it out.

Now, they are doing so in some Sam's Clubs. The one at 39th & May seems to be one of the first to get it.


I really like the idea of seeing exactly what I am going to be charged for something when I scan the barcode, and also that I can see my running total before getting to check out.

And, if you are buying big items which are always hard to deal with in the self check out lanes, this more or less solves that problem because you can just scan them with your phone.

After reading more about the Scan & Go concept, it seems they tested it in some Walmarts around the country and decided not to roll it out.

Now, they are doing so in some Sam's Clubs. The one at 39th & May seems to be one of the first to get it.


I really like the idea of seeing exactly what I am going to be charged for something when I scan the barcode, and also that I can see my running total before getting to check out.

And, if you are buying big items which are always hard to deal with in the self check out lanes, this more or less solves that problem because you can just scan them with your phone.

I can see how this would work better in Sam's than Walmart. You have less chance of theft because of the membership model. Someone who is aiming to steal is less likely to buy a membership. Second, they have someone who checks receipts on the way out. While some barely even care what's in the cart and just highlight your receipt, the fact that someone is watching lessens the chance of someone giving it a try.