Walmart Heading to D.C.

Walmart Stores Inc. (Bentonville, Ark.) announced plans to open its first stores in Washington, D.C., in 2012. Four locations are slated for the area and will offer a full grocery selection.

The D.C. stores will range from 80,000 to 120,000 square feet, with additional smaller stores averaging 30,000 square feet also a possibility.

The world’s largest retailer has also won approval for its second and third stores in Chicago, four years after opening its first. The retailer also announced plans to open 30 to 40 smaller-format stores by January 2012.