Wal-Mart

Wal-Mart is a store that has been around since the 1960′s.  They expanded rapidly and become extremely successful, for they made one-stop shopping easy and efficient.  Today, they are the largest retailer in the world.

The interiors of Wal-Marts are organized to get customers directly and efficiently to the merchandise they want, and back to their cars.

Therefore, there are no interior walls, nothing blocking a direct path to the merchandise, and the pathways are organized orthogonally and efficiently.  However, this leaves the interior space as one big open space with orthogonal racks, like a warehouse.

The ceiling sits just as high as a warehouse; however, the racks are not stacked with storage to the ceiling like warehouses are.  The space above the customers and merchandise is empty air all the way up to the ceiling; even the signs that show people where each section is hangs down below this unused space.

Most Wal-Marts have only one entrance from the surface parking lots, while Super Wal-Marts have two entrances, trying to separate those entering the grocery section and those entering the merchandise section.

See Wal-Mart components

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