Walmart’s recent acquisitions point to a larger change in American retail: when a business owns the entire location, it can plan the entire experience, from the initial turn into the lot to the last pickup. The most recent instance is the Walmart Center in Norwalk, Connecticut, a plaza that is more than 165,000 square feet in size and that the retailer purchased after operating 118,630 square feet there.
Because ownership enables Walmart to match parking, traffic, signage, and hours with the needs of its stores, this is major for shopping malls and the larger retail industry. Additionally, it connects to two previous 2025 acquisitions: the Bethel Park Shopping Center in Pennsylvania and the Monroeville Mall in Pennsylvania. When combined, these websites offer a reliable wager on property management to improve the clientele’s experience. The real estate strategy has a service story, according to experts.
Jonathan Zhang of Colorado State University relates the strategy to how major players are rethinking space as traditional malls face lower foot traffic, while Deborah Weinswig of Coresight Research ties the dots to curbside habits and everyday convenience.
Walmart is experimenting with the idea of redefining the customer experience throughout a retail campus by combining co-tenants and amenities with a supercenter or fulfillment hub.
Background and scope
The Norwalk transaction concluded at $44.5 million, according to Royal Properties, whose principal Jeff Kintzer represented the seller. Every day, about 30,000 cars pass by the plaza, also shared with ULTA, Panera, Qdoba Mexican Restaurant, and Aspen Dental. T.J. Maxx, Starbucks, Chipotle, and Michael’s are all in the area.
After purchasing the entire strip and merging operations and maintenance with its on-site companies, Walmart made the move from anchor tenant to owner.
Twenty years ago, Walmart tried to open a store there, but the locals were against the idea because they were worried about the traffic, crime, and environment in the neighborhood. But earlier in 2025, the company paid $34 million to purchase the almost 120-tenant Monroeville Mall in Monroeville, Pennsylvania.
The firm has not yet disclosed the mall’s long-term goals, despite the fact that it is still ongoing. However, it requested $7.5 million in state funding to demolish the building and construct a multipurpose outdoor complex that may house a Sam’s Club, Walmart, a skating rink, restaurants, and shops.
In May, Walmart also paid $39.6 million for another Pennsylvania property, the Bethel Park Shopping Center, according to real estate records.
Why owning the whole Plaza changes the experience
As much as real estate, industry leaders describe this approach as experience design. Walmart is able to control every touchpoint since it owns the entire property, according to Deborah Weinswig, CEO of Coresight Research. It’s a consumer journey all around. “The whole thing is a customer journey. The customer journey, it starts in the parking lot,” she remarked.
The lot may be the only time a customer interacts with the company on a particular day because curbside pickup is now common: “And actually right now because of where we are with buy online, pick up in store, sometimes the only thing you do is go in the parking lot.” Walmart’s control over the property enables them to arrange co-tenant lighting, lanes, signs, and timing to ensure that those touchpoints function properly.
“This move aligns with broader retail trends where major players are rethinking how they use real estate, especially as traditional malls struggle with declining foot traffic.” said Jonathan Zhang, a professor at Colorado State University‘s College of Business, who gave a more comprehensive perspective. Underperforming malls might be transformed into mixed-use areas with a powerful retail anchor, “whether that’s a supercenter, a fulfillment hub or a combination of both.”