Expanded Foothill Ranch Walmart Opens Wednesday

The newly expanded Walmart in Foothill Ranch will make its official debut Wednesday with a grand reopening ceremony.

The 48,000-square-foot expansion, , adds a full complement of groceries to the Foothill Ranch store. The store, at 26502 Towne Centre Dr., will celebrate the addition with a morning ribbon-cutting attended by city officials.

“We are thrilled that Walmart is further investing in our community by adding groceries to its Foothill Ranch store,” said Lake Forest Mayor Kathryn McCullough in a statement. “Our residents will now have more shopping choices, and our city will benefit from the increased business activity at Walmart, including the creation of 85 new jobs, and surrounding businesses. The addition of groceries to the Walmart store is truly a win-win for the community.”

The new grocery section includes fresh produce; a bakery and deli, meat and dairy products; and full liquor sales. According to store manager Gail Bell, the expansion has created 85 new jobs.

Product samplings and giveaways, as well as appearances by characters such as the Coca-Cola polar bear, will take place at the store Wednesday. The grand-opening celebration will continue Saturday. All events are family-friendly, free and open to the public.

As part of the store's reopening, Walmart and the Walmart Foundation are giving approximately $25,000 in grants to nonprofit organizations, including $15,800 for Children’s Hospital of Orange County, $5,000 to the California Congress of Parents, Teachers and Students and $4,250 to the Arthritis Foundation of Orange County.

In addition, the store plans to distribute $10,000 in grants to several local organizations in the coming weeks. 

The store is open from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. seven days a week.