Walmart is not slowing down anytime soon. The company has just made another big move by acquiring its third shopping center of the year — this time, a 165,000-square-foot retail plaza in Norwalk, Connecticut, for $44.5 million.
If you are familiar with Walmart’s strategy, this is not just another real estate purchase. It is a sign of something much bigger, a push to own more of the spaces where you already shop.
The newly acquired plaza, known as The Walmart Center, includes the retailer’s own store, which takes up 118,630 square feet, along with other popular businesses like ULTA, Panera Bread, Qdoba Mexican Eats, and Aspen Dental.
According to Jeff Kintzer, the principal of Royal Properties who represented the seller, the deal drew a lot of competition. “The amount of interest in this center was substantial,” Kintzer said. “With several options to consider, Walmart stepped up with the best overall offer.”
Why Walmart is buying up shopping centers
You might be wondering, why would Walmart spend millions buying entire shopping centers when it already rents or anchors so many of them? Experts say the reason goes beyond just business, it is about control and customer experience.
By owning the entire property, Walmart can decide exactly what happens in the shopping center from the look of the parking lot to the types of stores that operate nearby.
Retail expert Deborah Weinswig, CEO of Coresight Research, explained to USA Today that owning these properties helps Walmart improve how customers experience shopping. “The whole thing is a customer journey. The customer journey starts in the parking lot,” she said.
She added that with many people now choosing buy online, pick up in store (BOPIS) options, the parking lot itself has become part of the shopping experience.
In other words, Walmart’s purchase decisions are not just about owning land—they are about owning the full customer journey, even before you walk through the door.
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Previous Walmart shopping center purchases in 2025
This is Walmart’s third major real estate acquisition in 2025. Earlier this year, the retail giant bought two other large properties:
- Monroeville Mall, Pennsylvania – Purchased in January for $34 million. The property includes 120 tenants and has a long history with Walmart. The company once tried to open a store there 20 years ago but was stopped by local opposition.
- Bethel Park Shopping Center, Pennsylvania – Acquired in May for $39.6 million, according to real estate records.
Walmart has not revealed detailed plans for these locations yet, but reports suggest that the company could turn them into multi-use centers that combine retail, dining, entertainment, and even skating facilities.
The Monroeville property, for example, is rumored to be transformed into a mixed-use complex with a Walmart Supercenter, a Sam’s Club, restaurants, and family-friendly attractions.
How this could change your shopping experience
If you have been to a traditional shopping mall, you might have noticed how many are struggling with empty stores and low foot traffic. Walmart seems to be betting on turning those struggling properties into something fresh and more inviting.
Retail analyst Jonathan Zhang, a professor at Colorado State University, told Retail Dive that Walmart’s move fits a broader shift in the retail industry. “This move aligns with broader retail trends where major players are rethinking how they use real estate,” Zhang said.
He added that Walmart might use these spaces for fulfillment hubs, supercenters, or hybrid models that serve both in-store shoppers and online orders.
This means in the near future, you could see more Walmart centers that not only offer groceries and retail items but also feature restaurants, cafes, and pickup zones — all designed to make your shopping smoother and faster.
The big picture for Walmart’s future
Walmart already operates over 4,600 stores in the United States and continues to expand both physically and digitally. But these latest acquisitions show that the company is thinking long-term.
By owning shopping centers, Walmart gains:
- Greater control over surrounding tenants and customer flow
- Long-term savings from rent costs
- The flexibility to redesign spaces for modern retail needs
If you live near Norwalk, Connecticut, you might soon notice upgrades around The Walmart Center and it will not just be about the store itself, but the whole experience of shopping there.
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