Published: January 31, 2006 11:54 am      

West welcomes new Wal-Mart

URBANA - Shiny tile floors and that new-construction smell lured some Vermilion County shoppers to check out the new Wal-Mart SuperCenter in Urbana over the weekend.

The giant discount and grocery store opened quietly Friday with a soft opening. The store's scheduled grand opening is today. An Aldi also opened this weekend kitty-corner to the Urbana Wal-Mart.

Residents on Vermilion County's western edge, particularly in Muncie and Fithian, have been anticipating the opening of the store at U.S. Route 150 and Illinois Route 130.

"It's just a straight shot down 150," Michelle Durbin of Muncie said.

Durbin, who runs an in-home daycare, had been buying all of her groceries at the Danville Wal-Mart, but now plans to do her shopping at the Urbana store because it's easier to get to.

"To drive all the way through Danville takes a long time," she said.

Another Muncie resident, Laura Girouard, agreed.

"It takes a good 45 minutes to get there with all the lights," she said of the Danville Wal-Mart.

"I'm very excited about the one opening in Urbana," she added. "It's a one-stop shop. I'll get my laundry detergent, bath tissue, makeup and shampoo there."

Girouard, who is a Danville Area Community College student, sometimes stopped at County Market in Towne Centre in Danville for those items.

"I'll do most of my shopping at the (Urbana) Wal-Mart now," she said.

Those involved with Danville's retail, however, aren't concerned the new Urbana store will detract from local shopping.

Scott Stanton, store manager of the County Market at Towne Centre, didn't notice a decline in business over the weekend.

"I haven't heard any customers talking about it," he said of the Urbana store.

Stanton said County Market is used to competition and does check its competitors' prices.

"Everybody checks everybody else's prices," he said.

Gerry Donnelly, property manager at the Village Mall, said he's not concerned the Urbana Wal-Mart will take away business from the mall.

"It will take it from the Danville Wal-Mart," he said.

"I don't foresee any problems here."

Girouard said she would continue buying her clothes in Danville.

"They won't lose too much of my money, because I'll still buy my clothes at the mall," she said.

Nevertheless, the leakage of Danville retail dollars to Champaign's market has long been a problem.

A study of Danville's retail trade base in July 2001 found 82 percent of home furnishing purchases are made outside of the Danville Retail Trade Area, which includes Vermilion County and part of west-central Indiana.

In addition, 60 percent of Vermilion County residents say they buy their groceries in Champaign.

Jamie Sperry of Fithian visited the new Urbana Wal-Mart over the weekend.

When she goes there, she most likely will do the rest of her shopping in Champaign.

"The Danville Wal-Mart is so far up north," she said. "We go to Champaign more than Danville."

Sperry prefers the "warm feeling" of the Wal-Mart in Savoy to the warehouse-like feel of the new Wal-Marts in Champaign and Urbana.

But the ambiance didn't dampen her shopping experience.

"I picked up some odds and ends and a few groceries," she said.

"I think most people in Fithian are thrilled it's open because they can just get on 150."