Cielo Vista Walmart store to reopen in several months, will contain memorial to shooting victims

A Walmart spokesman said Wednesday that the company plans to reopen its Cielo Vista store, the site of the Aug. 3 shootings that claimed 22 lives, within the next three to four months.

Randy Hargrove, a spokesman at Walmart’s headquarters in Arkansas, told ABC-7 that the store would be undergoing “extensive work” before the reopening. The renovation work will include new flooring, fixtures, and merchandise.

In addition, he said the store site would contain a memorial to the shooting victims.

“As we consider next steps for the store, we continue to proceed thoughtfully,” Hargrove said. “We are working on plans for a permanent memorial at the store, which we know is important to our associates and the community.”

The details of that memorial are still being worked out, but will involve getting community input into the concept and design, he added.

The city of El Paso was informed of these developments in a letter sent by Walmart officials to Mayor Dee Margo on Wednesday.

Margo called the plans to reopen the store “a testament to the resilience of our community.”

The mayor said the city would be discussing next steps with Walmart officials, including memorial plans.