Walmart opened its first Texas store in 1975 in Mount Pleasant, about 100 miles east of Dallas, and has since built one of its largest regional footprints in DFW.<\/p>\n
DALLAS \u2014 This story was originally published by our content partners at the Dallas Business Journal. Read the original version here<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n In Dallas-Fort Worth\u2019s booming retail landscape, Walmart Inc.<\/a> looms large.<\/p>\n The Arkansas-based retailer opened its first Texas store<\/a> in 1975 in Mount Pleasant, about 100 miles east of Dallas, and has since built one of its largest regional footprints in DFW. Walmart (NYSE: WMT) ranks as the largest retail property owner<\/a> in the region, according to CoStar<\/a> data, with more than 30 million square feet across the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan statistical area.<\/p>\n The retailer’s growth has mirrored the rise of the Metroplex, which is adding more than 480 people a day<\/a> through both births and migration. Four of the nation\u2019s 15 fastest-growing cities<\/a> are in Collin County, while ample growth can also be found west and south of Fort Worth and east of Dallas. That influx has made the region a prime target for big-box chains competing to serve new communities.<\/p>\n So Dallas Business Journal is checking in with large retailers to better understand the scope of their investments in Dallas-Fort Worth. Walmart now operates about 140 locations across 11 North Texas counties, including 96 super centers and 44 neighborhood markets, according to Kelsey Bohl, director of corporate communications for Walmart.<\/p>\n