Silver Spring Drive Walmart to close
Walmart will close its West Silver Spring Drive store on Milwaukee’s northwest side, the company said Wednesday.
The store, located in the Timmerman Plaza, at 10330 W. Silver Spring Drive, has been open since 2012 and serves as a main resource for the northwest side.
A company spokesperson said the decision was not made lightly, and there is no single cause, but the store was not meeting financial expectations and hasn’t performed as well as they hoped.
The store is expected to close by March 10, Walmart said.
The company said seven Walmart Supercenters are located within 13 miles of the Silver Spring location and it is hopeful that the 368 employees at the store will continue their career at a different location. Walmart’s HR department will facilitate transfers, the company said. There are 99 Walmart stores and Sam’s Clubs in Wisconsin.
The alderman for the area, Mark Chambers, called the closure “terrible news.”
“It’s infuriating that such a massive, resource-rich, and wealthy Fortune 100 enterprise like Walmart cannot keep such an important location open,” Chambers said. “The move not only negatively impacts shoppers, pharmacy customers and store workers, but I fear it will only add to the food desert issues that we are seeing in that area.
“Studies show that kids and families who don’t have regular access to fresh fruits and vegetables, and other foods with higher nutritional value can suffer negative impacts, such as obesity and diabetes.
“I have already begun working with the Department of City Development to identify possible replacement options (stores and other business/development candidates) that are worthy of the 10330 W. Silver Spring location.
“I promise that I will be working diligently to find a way to keep that site viable and productive for the residents of the area.”