Ball State University junior Diane Donovan had to shove her way through southside Wal-Mart's grand opening crowd before beginning her first day of work Wednesday morning.
"It was busy for a Wednesday morning at 8 a.m.," said Donovan, one of a handful of students who work at the super store that opened this week after about two years of planning and construction. About 375 associates were hired to work at the store, which received about 3,000 applications the past few months.
In addition to providing Ball State students with more job options on the south side of town, the store serves as an alternative for shopping only about 10 miles from campus, Donovan said. And the Muncie Indiana Transit System, which already runs buses to the northside Wal-Mart on Clara Lane, will also make a bus available to the new store.
Starting earlier this week, the #9 Industry Willard bus route went in front of the store on East 29th Street from the downtown bus station and connected with the #1 B.S. University bus route, said Mary Gaston, assistant general manager of MITS.
"So someone could board University Avenue at the Student Center or the Village and stay on the bus when it gets to the station, and it could go to the new Wal-Mart," Gaston said.
About 15,000 customers visited the 209,000-square-foot building on Wednesday alone, store manager Tom Leake said.
Unlike the northside store, the southside Wal-Mart features a drive-up pharmacy and carries Metro 7, a higher-quality and more trendy clothing line that has drawn many good reactions from shoppers, Leake said.
"We're giving the public what they need," Leake said. "We're giving them one-stop shopping, and we're giving them fair prices."
Donovan, who grew up in Muncie, said she remembered the disappointment of local residents when Kmart closed in 2003.
Donovan said she encouraged students to visit the store, which has a more modern look with updated light fixtures and floors. The new store also alleviates congestion at the northside store, she said.
"It makes them more aware of the community if they get out of their comfort zone, get out of this region of McGalliard," she said.
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