By Patrick Baron
CLINTON – After Walmart’s corporate offices announced the closing of Clinton’s Walmart store near the end of July, uncertainty filled the air surrounding the retail space and the impact on Clinton’s economy.
Walmart made the announcement Wednesday morning that the store will close on July 20. Clinton City Administrator Tim Followell said the city is “devastated” by the store’s unexpected closing.
“Needless to say, we always know the world of business right now is kind of a rollercoaster ride. If you just look across the country, across the malls, it’s a changing revolution,” said Followell. “We never really expected it to happen here at Walmart.”
The Walmart in Clinton employs around 70 people, which includes the store and its pharmacy. Followell said while the exact impact the closing will have on the economy isn’t known at this time, the city is primarily concerned with the workers who will be out of jobs in July.
“When you get down to the taxing value in that, the sales tax, absolutely that will be a hit to us,” Followell explained. “But right now our concerns and our hearts go out for those employees. Trying to find a job in this job market is not an easy task.”
Employees are expected to be paid through August 31. Followell said Walmart told the city it would be closing the store not long before notifying the employees. He noted while the sting of the announcement remains, the city quickly began sending out the call for any interested businesses to fill the retail space.
“It’s like every other event that happens, we will find a way through this and move on,” Followell said.
Followell said the process to fill the retail space will take a lot of time and work before anything is finalized.
Patrick Baron can be reached at [email protected].
