'This is by far the best Walmart in the world'
Ryan Hunt, left to right, Jason Hunt, Eddie Correa, Brian Penrod and Tyler Hunt, all cousins from the Whitefish area, celebrate as they become the first customers at Walmart with the purchase of a Hershey's chocolate bar. The group of five began their vigil outside the doors of Walmart on Tuesday night at 11 p.m. They wanted to be the first into the store so they came out with camping gear and staked their claim.
Walmart store manager Julie Keyes right, gives a hug to employee Elizabeth Gadilauskas after the singing of the National Anthem at the opening of the new store in Kalispell.
It was perhaps the most celebrated Hershey bar in Walmart history.
Three brothers gathered with their two cousins, pooling together a single dollar to purchase the first item from the new Kalispell Supercenter: A shiny, king-size Hershey chocolate bar. They hoisted the dollar high, each one touching their fingertips to it, cheering one other — and Walmart — on.
For them, it was an epic endeavor, the culmination of a sleepless night under the stars in the parking lot off Hutton Ranch Road, and an accomplishment their family will savor for years to come.
“I couldn’t be more honored,” said Jason Hunt of Kalispell. “This is by far the best Walmart in the world.”
Dressed in a red flannel shirt and wearing a jet-black wig, Jason joined his brothers Ryan and Tyler Hunt and cousins Brian Penrod and Eddie Correa. The group camped out in the parking lot overnight, arriving around 11 p.m. and staying through the rain for the 8 a.m. grand opening with just their sleeping bags and a tent. They passed the time playing football and long-boarding, outlasting another family that grew scared and packed up at the rumor of a visit from the cops.
“We were committed,” said Penrod.
The store officially opened its doors to shoppers at 8 a.m. Wednesday, following a ribbon-cutting ceremony near the south entrance. Some 60 expectant shoppers gathered outside in the rain, eager to be the first to see the new store.
Built under the Project Impact design, the store is unlike any other in the area, with domed skylights that harvest sunlight, a recycled concrete floor and other sustainable, eco-friendly features.
Standing close to the door and just out of the rain, Donna Cox of Kalispell said she had come to see the new full-grocery line.
“I’m just excited,” she said.
For Renee Shores of Kalispell, the store is a welcome upgrade. “I’ve lived other places with good Walmarts,” she said. “It’s about time we got one.”
Dwayne Mortenson made the drive down from Marion to pick up a mountain bike for his daughter Kathryn’s 11th birthday before heading off to work.
Shari Levine of Kalispell dragged her mother, Judy Guralchak of Lakeside, out of bed to see the store early.
“We’re very impressed,” Guralchak said. Taking in the grocery department, she found her favorite Smuckers jam for a dollar less than at other area grocery stores.
As for the employees, who’ve worked hard to get the new store up and running in just five weeks, she also was impressed.
“They’re very friendly — extraordinarily friendly,” Guralchak said.
That’s just part of who they are, said Gina Claros of Kalispell. Claros has worked for Walmart for several years and helped open the Evergreen location in 1995. She said it felt a little odd to be in the new location after having spent the past eight years in Evergreen, but she’s excited about being able to finish a shift, grab her groceries and go home without having to stop somewhere else to pick up dinner.
“All I need is a tent and a gas station,” she said of the two things she needs to survive outside of her job. “We can put our money right where we work.”
The new store is 188,028 square feet, nearly 60,000 square feet larger than the Evergreen store was. That store is now closed.
Prior to the ribbon-cutting, Kalispell VFW presented colors, store employee Rebecca Gadilauskas sang “The Star-Spangled Banner” and the Glacier Wolfpack cheerleaders led employees in a Walmart cheer.
At a VIP preview open house Tuesday evening, Walmart representatives awarded $60,000 in grant money to the Montana State Giving Grant and the Special Olympics Winter Games of Montana.
From the grant money to her employee singing the national anthem before a crowd of gathered fans, the experience of opening the new store has been everything store manager Julie Keyes had hoped for and more.
Gathering for a hug with the Hunt brothers and their cousins, she exclaimed, “Aren’t these guys cute?” She even offered Ryan Hunt help getting a job when he finishes his master’s degree in business administration.
But when she offered to adopt the boys as her new sons, husband Larry Keyes intervened, reminding her that they have enough children already.
He’s excited to have the store up and running.
“I might actually get to see [my wife] now,” he joked.
The Hunt family had no hard feelings about the botched adoption.
In unison, they yelled “We love you, Walmart! Get ’r done!” as they left the building.
Business reporter Erika Hoefer may be reached at 758-4439 or via e-mail at ehoefer@dailyinterlake.com.