SEQUIM — Sixteen hours before kickoff, employees of the new Wal-Mart, perfecting merchandise racks and attending to the smallest of details, were alternately fatigued and energized on Tuesday.
Months of setting up and stocking shelves, getting to know inventory and nailing down intricate procedures at checkstands will culminate when store managers and employees welcome the public at a 7:30 grand opening ceremony this morning.
“It’s been a lot of hard work and a lot of fun,” said Lee Ruiz, store manager.
“But most of all it’s been a huge challenge.”
The store, located at 1100 West Washington St., sits on nearly 20 acres of once-rural land.
Ruiz said 850 trees have been planted around the site, adding to the unusually aesthetic exterior model chosen by the Wal-Mart company and its architects.
Indirectly, the Sequim Planning Commission and City Council also played a role in the design of the mega-store, which has survived legal challenges and is finally ready to serve customers in time for the holiday shopping season.
Voluntary design standards
A set of design standards applying to large retail developments went into effect after Wal-Mart submitted its building permit, but the company voluntarily agreed to meet city requirements when designing their new building.
That decision may have paid off when a power outage hit much of eastern Clallam County on Monday afternoon, leaving businesses and residences in the dark.
“The power was out for about four hours, but we were still able to work because we have skylights,” said Cindy Cashman, the store’s community relations manager.
Skylights fall under recommended features in Sequim’s new design standards.
Wal-Mart designers incorporated them into their beam ceiling, which differs from the tile ceilings found in most of the company’s other stores, including the nine-year-old Port Angeles store.
‘Tuned’ to natural light
The lighting system is set to automatically dim voltage in fluorescent bulbs running across ceiling beams as natural light increases.