New Walmart in Ontario opening sooner than expected

Shoppers will get a chance to visit Ontario’s newest Walmart earlier than originally planned.

Located in Oakville, west of Toronto, this Walmart will now open on Oct. 9, a week earlier than advertised as crews setting up the store are ahead of schedule.

The American retail giant will be operating at Hopedale Mall.

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Many stores have come and gone at the mall, including Kmart, Zellers and Target. Now it’s Walmart’s turn.

A large banner in front of the store recently indicated it would open on Oct. 16. Signs now point to the Oct. 9 date.

Located at Third Line and Rebecca Street, the mall, now known as South Oakville Centre but still called Hopedale Mall by those who have long lived in the neighbourhood, has seen its prospects sag over the years as several businesses have closed.

Most recently, Target gave the location a try, but when that company pulled up stakes after a short two-year stint in 2015, it left a huge vacancy.

Hopedale opened in 1959 as an outdoor plaza, making it one of the first of its kind in the town that only had a population of around 10,000. By 1971, it undertook a major revamp, turning it into a covered mall that served a large portion of the community.

While stores like Metro, the LCBO, Beer and Gino’s Pizza still attract customers, many are banking that Walmart’s proven track record can turn things around.

Along with typical department store goods such as clothes, furniture, appliances and general household goods, this Walmart will also sell groceries and an expanded array of merchandise, similar to the one on Hays Boulevard in the Trafalgar Road and Dundas Street area in the north part of the town. There will also be a pharmacy on-site at the new store.