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Walmart launched a network of urban mini-depots installed in vacant locations —closed pharmacies, thrift stores— to deliver grocery orders in 30 minutes.
The initiative is called Walmart Depots and is already operating in Dallas, New Jersey, and Arkansas. It is not open to the public: it functions exclusively as a pickup point for Spark drivers, the company’s delivery service.
The model was born from a specific problem: in a conventional Supercenter, a delivery driver takes up to 25 minutes to gather five products. In a dedicated depot, that same process takes five minutes.
E-commerce already accounts for more than US$100 billion in annual sales for Walmart’s U.S. division, with growth above 20% per year.
In addition, the largest supermarket chain in the United States has started a plan to remodel more than 650 locations across the country.
What Walmart Depots are and how they work
The Walmart Depots are spaces of about 1,850 square meters that stock only high-demand products: dairy products, cereals, juices, and household items. They have no exterior signage or public service. They are remotely supervised by managers from the nearest Supercenters.
How does the order get there?
- The customer buys through Walmart’s app or website.
- A Spark driver receives the order and goes to the nearest depot.
- They pick up the products in minutes and deliver them to the customer’s home.
- The estimated time can be as little as 30 minutes.
Why Walmart is saying goodbye to supermarket aisles for delivery
The strategy aims to compete with Amazon, which just launched 30-minute deliveries in dozens of cities in the United States. To set up, Walmart is taking advantage of vacant locations left behind by chains like Rite Aid —which went bankrupt— and Walgreens. There are already planned depots in Poughkeepsie and San Diego in former Rite Aid stores, and in Fayetteville in a former Walgreens.
The project was described as a pilot program in documents submitted to city authorities, with contracts of five years or less. If it scales, it could redefine the way millions of Americans receive their grocery purchases.
What does the remodeling of Walmart’s 650 stores include in 2026?
The renovation covers more than 650 Supercenters and Neighborhood Markets across the country. In Pennsylvania, 32 stores are confirmed, four of them in the Philadelphia region, in Montgomery and Berks counties.
The changes aim to modernize the shopping experience with new layouts, updated technology, and more personalized checkout assistance, with fewer self-checkouts at several locations.
Planned improvements in the remodeled stores
- Redesign of the sales floor and new layouts
- Updated technology to speed up shopping and deliveries
- One-hour delivery for some customers
- Free pharmacy delivery for Walmart+ members
- In-store app to navigate aisles and book service appointments at the auto center