Wal-Mart Pulls Back Plans for District-Based Store

For months, local officials had been getting their hopes up high, keeping their fingers crossed that the Bentonville, AR-headquartered retailer would commit to building a 100,000-sf store at the 23-acre development in the Brentwood neighborhood. However, nothing had been written in stone, or in pen for that matter, and now the spot just across from the Rhode Island Metro Station is no longer up for consideration.

"After reviewing the site and looking at parameters--parking and overall operational needs--the site just doesn't meet the requirements that would best serve our customers," a Wal-Mart spokesperson tells GlobeSt.com. "We take entry into a community very seriously; we want to make the right first impression on the District."

Rhode Island Place is already home to a Giant Food store and DC's only Home Depot. Wal-Mart would have had to physically negotiate itself into the available 100,000-sf spot, which would have been about 30,000 sf smaller than most of its regular stores. Wal-Mart has nearly 30 stores in the region outside the District, but the spokesperson insists all hope is not lost for the establishment of a location within city limits. "We're still very interested in coming to DC, and would like to work with the mayor and local officials do it. We're looking for sites."

Wal-Mart is not the first discount chain to see a potential store-opening fall through at Rhode Island Place. Kmart planned to open its doors at the site, but was forced to back off when the company filed for bankruptcy two years ago.