Elgin Super Walmart announces tentative grand opening
Walmart announced to its employees the tentative closing date of the store at Randall Road and Royal Boulevard in Elgin, which will be followed by the opening of a new superstore farther south.
A manager at the existing Walmart confirmed a grand opening date of Oct. 26 for the new store at Bowes and Randall roads. As long as the final touches proceed on schedule, the smaller store will close at midnight on Oct. 25 to make way for its successor.
Steven Restivo, senior director of community affairs, said the larger store will require about 200 new employees, in addition to those being moved from the existing Walmart. Restivo said the Super Walmart will fulfill expectations for affordable groceries in the city.
“We look forward to offering our Elgin customers an even larger assortment of food, including fresh produce,” Restivo said.
Walmart purchased more than 70 acres with plans to build the superstore and a Sam's Club as well as create space for other restaurants.
The corporation will receive about $8 million in tax rebates as an incentive to build in Elgin and cover a portion of the cost of intersection improvements required by Kane County.
Because Walmart does not own the building it currently operates at Royal Boulevard, it will be up to the property owner to find a new tenant.
Assistant City Manager Rick Kozal said the hope is to find an adaptive reuse for the building — like what happened in the Otter Creek shopping center at Randall Road and Route 20.
“It's always a concern when these big box stores are empty,” Kozal said.
In the wake of the surprise closing of the Elgin Lowe's earlier this month, city officials look optimistically toward revenues from the superstore, which are expected to exceed the smaller Walmart.
Kozal said the Lowe's closing does not indicate problems in Elgin, but for that company individually.
“The decision to go ahead with the creation of Sam's Club demonstrates the strength of the Elgin retail market,” Kozal said.