Walmart buys Bethel Park Shopping Center for $39.6M

BETHEL PARK, Pa. — The world’s largest retailer is making a serious financial commitment to the South Hills.

Walmart last year bought the Monroeville Mall for $34 million cash. Now, according to real estate records obtained by our partners, Pittsburgh Business Times, the company has bought the Bethel Park Shopping Center on Library Road for $39.6 million.

Shoppers who heard the news were curious about what Walmart envisions for the property with this kind of investment.

“I think it’s awesome! They’re going to expand it, hopefully, and make it a Super Walmart. I would hope,” said Amanda Maxwell, who was shopping with her son, Alex.

Alex is hoping for modernization.

“If they want to put anything futuristic in there, that would be great,” he said.

Others don’t want to see any changes to the property.

“As long as there is no changes, I don’t see any problems,” James Nee said. “I shop here at this Walmart and at the Giant Eagle frequently. These are my two go-tos for me and the kids.”

We reached out to Walmart. A spokesperson told Channel 11, “Walmart wants to continue to operate in Bethel Park and purchasing the store provided the best opportunity to continue serving our customers in the long term. There are no plans to expand the store.”

Giant Eagle tells Channel 11 they have no plans to leave the plaza and have signed a 30-year lease.

Meanwhile, this month, Walmart opened its first “Next Generation” or “Store of the Future” in Texas. They have 150 “Next Generation” stores planned to open, but have not released the majority of those locations.

They also announced plans to remodel 650 stores, 26 of them in Pennsylvania, including Center Township, Beaver County and Trinity Point, in Washington.

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