Oakdale is seeing fresh momentum in its retail landscape as long-vacant storefronts begin to find new life. Following the recent announcement regarding a revised Walmart application for the former K-Mart site and a new Ross Dress for Less planned for the old Rite Aid building on East F Street in the Foothill Oaks Shopping Center, Mayor Cherilyn Bairos shared additional details about what residents can expect in the months ahead.

According to Mayor Bairos, the City is working to move the Walmart project through the approval process as efficiently as possible. City staff members are currently reviewing the revised application, after which it will be forwarded to the Planning Commission for design review, expected as early as February. After that, the project will proceed to a plan check for building permits.

Because the property is already zoned for retail, no zoning change or land use approval is required. Once the Planning Commission provides input and permits are issued, construction can begin. Demolition of the existing K-Mart structure may begin at any time.

“The K-Mart sat empty for over six years and has been an eyesore for Oakdale,” Bairos said. “We are excited to get something brand new in that space.”

Why the Original Walmart Application Was Revised

The mayor explained that Walmart’s original submission was deemed incomplete due to parking issues. The initial proposal included more parking than allowed under Oakdale’s municipal code when measured against the building’s square footage.

Following a meeting between City staff, the mayor, and Walmart representatives, the City asked the retailer to reconsider the size of the store. While the former K-Mart is approximately 100,000 square feet, Walmart is proposing a significantly smaller building. The revised application now reflects a 50,000-square-foot store—about half the size of the old K-Mart.

Walmart also adjusted its plans for signage to comply with City codes, reducing a proposed 125-square-foot sign to the maximum allowable 72 square feet.

Jobs and Economic Impact

While neither Walmart nor Ross has submitted formal projections for tax revenue or overall economic impact, Walmart has indicated that the new store is expected to create approximately 150 jobs, with about 50 employees working at any given time.

Traffic, Parking, and Neighborhood Impact

City officials say concerns about traffic and parking have already been carefully evaluated. Because the new Walmart will be roughly half the size of the former K-Mart, it will require fewer parking spaces than the previous store.

“When K-Mart was open and busy, the surrounding roads handled traffic for a store twice as large without issue,” Bairos said. “A Walmart half that size will naturally bring less traffic than what the neighborhood managed for many years.”

City staff are confident the existing roadway infrastructure can easily accommodate the new store, and that parking will be more than adequate on most days.

A Broader Push for Business Growth

These developments are part of a longer-term effort by the City to make Oakdale attractive to new businesses. While the City cannot recruit specific brands or require businesses to locate here, officials have focused on streamlining permitting, maintaining infrastructure, and fostering a business-friendly environment.

That approach appears to be paying off. In addition to Walmart and Ross, Mayor Bairos confirmed that the City has also received a formal application from Chipotle to open a new restaurant in Oakdale, along with several other recent retail inquiries.

Rather than following a rigid master plan that assigns tenants to specific locations, the City’s broader strategy centers on keeping Oakdale easy to do business with, working quickly with interested companies, and celebrating each new job and reopened storefront as a community win.

“We love the direction things are heading,” Bairos said. “More announcements are coming as these projects move forward.”

For Oakdale residents, that direction points toward renewed activity, new jobs, and long-empty buildings returning to productive use—welcome signs of growth for the community.