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Walmart Market Store Manager Is Bradenton Native

Sarasota Walmart Neighborhood Market Store Manager Jeff Douglas' journey to the top started as a cart pusher at the Cortez Walmart in Bradenton.

Sarasota Walmart Neighborhood Market Store Manager Jeff Douglas never forgets where he came from. The former football standout at Southeast High School in Bradenton was just 17 when he became a cart pusher at the Cortez Road Walmart on May 9, 1998.   "At 17, you just want some money in your pocket," Douglas said.  But who knew that he would one day rise through the ranks at Walmart and open his own store? "At Walmart, you can do anything," Douglas said Tuesday, smiling inside the new Neighborhood Market. Douglas will open the doors at 8 a.m. today following a ribbon cutting ceremony at 7:30 a.m. The store on the corner of Myrtle Street and North Tamiami Trail. FOR MORE: Neigborhood Market Not Your Typical Walmart Douglas had aspirations to…

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Sarasota Walmart Neighborhood Market Opens Wednesday

The Walmart Neighborhood Market is one of 200 of its kind in the nation, offering predominately groceries.

Grocery shopping on the corner of North Tamiami Trail and Myrtle Street is set to return Wednesday. The first Walmart in Sarasota city limits will open as a Walmart Neighborhood Market at 8 a.m. Wednesday, following a ribbon cutting ceremony at 7:30 a.m. The store replaces a former Winn-Dixie at 3500 N. Tamiami Trail. “Welcome to the neighborhood,” said Sarasota Mayor Suzanne Atwell in a statement. “Walmart will be a game changer for North Sarasota and beyond by bringing a quality and much-needed product to a great community.” The store is like a reversal of the Walmarts of old — instead of a large area full of clothing, surrounded by toys, electronics and bedding, it's mainly groceries with a pharmacy, health and beauty products, some pet…

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North Trail Walmart Market Announces Opening Date

North Trail Walmart Market store manager is Bradenton native who started out as a cart pusher.

The first Walmart in the City of Sarasota will open ahead of schedule. The grand opening for the Walmart Market will be Wednesday, Sept. 19, said store manager Jeffrey Douglas. Douglas made the announcement Wednesday night at a meeting about the proposed Walmart Supercenter on Ringling Boulevard. Douglas said he has been with Walmart for 14 years. "I started out as a part-time cart pusher on Cortez Road in Bradenton," Douglas said. "I'm born and raised in Bradenton, Florida." The Walmart Market is a different format than a typical Walmart store or Supercenter. It exclusively sells groceries and includes a pharmacy.  The 34,244-square-foot store, 3500 N. Tamiami Trail, replaces the former Winn-Dixie. The store will be open between 6 a.m. …

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Walmart Market Approved for North Trail

The Sarasota Planning Board unanimously approved the project, which is set to take 12 months to complete.

In 2012 Sarasota will officially welcome its first Walmart within the city limits after the Sarasota Planning Board unanimously approved a plan for a Walmart Market at the site of the now closed Winn-Dixie. The Walmart Market, approved Wednesday evening, will operate exclusively as a grocery store, plus pharmacy. “This is not a perfect project, but this is a needed project,” said board chair Susan Chapman. “There is [currently] a food desert in this area.” Last November, Winn-Dixie closed its doors and many in the area struggled to find healthy food choices, the city said. The city hopes the store will fill that need. In a neighborhood that has a high unemployment rate, the store's approval is needed good news. Walmart said the new store …

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Walmart Introduces Itself to North Sarasota

Representatives from Walmart and the city met with north trail residents last night to discuss plans to build a Walmart Market on N. Tamiami Trail.

If all goes well at a city planning board meeting on August 10, a Walmart Market will be approved to replace the now closed Winn-Dixie on the corner of Myrtle and N. Tamiami.  Thursday evening, representatives from Walmart and the city of Sarasota held an informational meeting to discuss the proposed plan and talk about the needs of nearby community at the Crossroads Methodist Church.  The Walmart Market does not have the features of a standard Walmart, such as auto center, lawn care, clothing, etc. The Market will be exclusively a grocery store with a pharmacy.  "This is going to be a great opportunity to bring together neighborhoods to shop for the most fundamental needs," said Mayor Suzanne Atwell.  Since the Winn-Dixie closed late last…

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Meeting About Proposed Walmart Tonight

The Walmart would be located at the site formally occupied by Winn-Dixie, which closed late last year.

An informational open house will be held regarding a proposed Walmart Market grocery store in North Sarasota tonight from 6 – 7:30pm at the Crossroads Methodist Church, 4726 N. Tamiami Trail, according to a city press release. In the release, city senior planner Courtney Mendez said, “Given the substantial interest generated by the proposal, we are pleased that the applicant team and Walmart have offered to hold this informational open house.”  The Walmart Market would be located at 3500 N. Tamiami Trail, the former site of Winn-Dixie. In an interview with Patch a Walmart spokeswoman said the store would also include a pharmacy.  The city said the purpose of the open house is for the applicant to provide the community with more information…

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