Walmart seems to be on a shopping spree of its own when it comes to acquiring real estate in western Pennsylvania. On the heels of grabbing the Monroeville Mall last year for a hefty $35 million, the retail giant has now scooped up the Bethel Park Shopping Center for $39.6 million.
Real estate records divulge that Wal-Mart Real Estate Business Trust, an affiliate of Walmart, laid out the cash for the almost 22-acre shopping plaza earlier this month, as reported by CBS News Pittsburgh.
This move, though substantial, is not ushering in any grand changes, at least for now. A Walmart spokesman confirmed the acquisition and stated, “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,” an email provided to WPXI explained. In alignment with their history of preferring property ownership, the spokesperson added, “there are no plans to expand the store.”
Current occupants of the plaza are a Giant Eagle, Pep Boys, Firestone Complete Auto Care, a Chinese restaurant, Great Clips, and Rita’s Italian Ice and Frozen Custard.
