This April, several Walmart Neighborhood Markets across Florida, Oklahoma, Texas, Georgia, South Carolina and Louisiana will test a new kind of rapid remodel process designed for quicker results and less customer disruption.

Instead of stretching a remodel over several months, the company is condensing the work by temporarily closing the main sales floor for four weeks and keeping pharmacies and fuel stations open.

Walmart said this is an opportunity to test, learn and refine its remodel process to identify best practices for the future.

During the rapid remodels, store associates will be working alongside remodel teams, setting up new fixtures, organizing products and preparing the store to welcome customers back.

"We know that shopping around closed construction areas or searching for relocated items can be frustrating for our customers," the company said in a statement. "While we try to minimize that friction with every remodel, these four-week temporary closures aim at going one step further. We want to alleviate as much customer disruption as possible and deliver a better store experience, faster."

The company said these stores were chosen in part because there are other Walmart locations nearby, offering shopping alternatives both in store and by using the Walmart app or Walmart.com to place pickup orders at the neighboring stores. Delivery options are also available. 

While updates vary by location to meet the specific needs of the community, many stores will feature expanded aisles and reconfigured layouts that create more space and make it easier to navigate.

Enhancements to Online Grocery Pickup and Delivery areas will support growing demand for digital orders, and pharmacies will receive updates to better serve customers’ healthcare needs.

Customers will also see improvements in technology throughout the store, including clear digital price signage that highlights rollbacks and featured items, upgraded checkout areas designed to reduce wait times, and tools that help associates quickly locate products and assist shoppers.

Together, these updates are designed to make shopping faster, simpler, and more comfortable from start to finish.

The company said this test is about more than new shelves and lights. It is about listening to our customers, continuing to look for ways to save them time and money and continuing to evolve alongside communities.