Walmart Announces ‘Dark Stores': No, You Can’t Go Inside

(KMDL-FM) As a kid, like a lot of you, I had issues with the "dark". When the lights were out, my mind would wander. And when your imagination was built on TV shows of the 70s and 80s, there are a lot of places your imagination can take you. There's something about the "dark" that is just unsettling to the human animal. But maybe we're about to view the "dark" in a whole new light?

Walmart, the giant store with 138 retail locations across Louisiana in cities such as Lafayette, Lake Charles, Shreveport, and Alexandria, is about to use the "dark" not only to its advantage but perhaps to the advantage of customers just like you and me.

READ MORE: Complete List of Items Recalled at Walmart in Texas and Louisiana

READ MORE: Woman Offers Ominous Warning for Walmart Shoppers

In Texas, Walmart has 590 retail locations. We say "retail locations" because that number includes Walmart Supercenters, Discount Stores, Neighborhood Markets, and Sam's Clubs. And now we are learning that in the Dallas, Texas area, Walmart has already opened what they are calling a "Dark Store".

What is a Dark Store and What Do They Do?

What makes this Dallas location of Walmart different from other store locations across the country is this. There are no signs. There are no advertisements with directions. There is, in fact, a concerted effort to keep customers out. The reason? Walmart doesn't want customers coming into these "Dark Stores".

Walmart has felt the changes in consumer buying habits and is apparently betting heavily that the future of retail will not happen in large retail shopping centers but instead will happen on the doorsteps of customers at their homes or businesses.

Get our free mobile app

These Walmart "Dark Stores" will be for delivery only. In other words, you order products online, they process the order, and get the delivery out as quickly as possible. Walmart says its delivery business has grown by 91% when compared to last year, and this would make that service not only more efficient for customers but also cost-effective for the company.

When Will Walmart Dark Stores Be Opening?

The Dallas store is already open. There is another "dark store" planned for Bentonville, Arkansas, and then you can expect the concept to escalate nationwide. The company's brain-trust hopes these changes and advancements will help Walmart keep up with businesses such as Amazon that are already exploring different avenues to expedite home and business delivery.

If we lose the people watching experience that is Walmart, where will we go to see the best of the worst of society? Our malls are already failing, and the Waffle House isn't open after midnight on weekends. Thank goodness we'll still have State Fairs to go to.