Spokesman: Naugatuck Walmart to be Open 24/7 After Expansion's Finished

You can probably count on your hand the number of businesses in Naugatuck that are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. And, probably the majority of them are gas stations.

But, starting next year, add a new one to the list: Walmart on New Haven Road.

By the time Walmart finishes a 22,000 square-foot expansion on its Naugatuck location, set to be completed in early 2012, the store "will be (open) 24/7 as part of the approvals from the city (Naugatuck)," according to an email from Walmart Spokesman Chris Buchanan.

Zoning Commission Chairman Joseph Savarese confirmed that the 24/7-hour schedule has gotten approval from the necessary borough commissions, namely zoning and police.

The time adjustment is part of the retail giant’s larger plan to transition the 1100 New Haven Road store into a "Super Walmart," by adding a new wing to accomodate groceries and produce. In late 2010, Walmart requesting approval for the expansion, and in January 2011 — after getting the green light from the Planning and Police commissions — the Zoning Commission .

The addition will likely be a benefit to the New Haven Road corridor, which has been without a large food store since the former A&P Superstore closed in October of that year. Already there are areas that are fenced off along the store's left side while construction begins. 

For Police Commission Chairman Steven Smith, the change in hours made sense. The store that is there now at New Haven Road is already open from 7 a.m. to midnight, and there are still employees that work there until 1 a.m. Smith said.

On top of that, Smith said there are also Walmart employees there who come in at 6 a.m. to begin the process of opening the store.

“So, there’s people there all night long,” Smith said. “They’re just looking to be able to open.”

Smith said his commission didn’t see any problem with the 24/7 schedule, and that there wasn’t much negative feedback from the public. Mayor Robert Mezzo said he hadn’t gotten any phone calls from residents against the proposal either.

As far as traffic issues, Smith said he doesn’t anticipate many. The commission reasoned that there wasn’t much traffic on New Haven Road after 10 or 11 p.m. anyway, Smith said.

“Police patrols go by there already,” he said. “I don’t think there’s going to be crowds of people there shopping at 2 o’clock in the morning. It’s just a convenience.”

In an email response to Patch, Buchanan said the expanded Walmart will feature a new color scheme, wider isles, wood flooring, a bakery, meat and dairy departments, a delicatessen and a fresh produce section among others.

“Overall, Walmart is very excited to better serve the Naugatuck community saving our customers money so they can live better,” he said. 

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