Much like snowflakes, Walmarts can differ in various ways.
Since its inception in 1962, no other retail grocery store chain has captivated the minds — and wallets — of shoppers quite like Walmart.
Despite having locations worldwide, Walmart remains deeply rooted in North American culture with its blue and yellow branding and whatever the logo is supposed to be becoming synonymous across the United States.
Murfreesboro alone is home to six locations, and while the corporation is known for its branding and “everyday low prices,” not all stores mirror one another.
Rather than celebrate those differences, it makes more sense (and it’s more fun) to compare the six Murfreesboro locations with a definitive ranking. This list judges each local Walmart on the five criteria below and assigns a ranking of one through five for a potential total of 25 points.
- Distance from MTSU
- Organization and cleanliness
- Traffic and parking
- Fresh food
- Additional offerings
No. 6 and No. 5: 2478 New Salem Highway and 1153 Fortress Blvd.
Total: N/A
- Distance: 7.7 and 5.9 miles
- Organization: N/A
- Traffic and parking: N/A
- Fresh goods: N/A
- Additional offerings: N/A
Taking care of the elephant in the room, two of Murfreesboro’s six locations are Walmart Neighborhood Markets. These locations are much smaller than typical stores, only containing groceries. No clothes, toys, gardening tools or oil changes to be seen here, folks.
While there’s nothing inherently wrong with a Walmart Neighborhood Market, it would be unfair and disrespectful to compare these grocery stores to the everything that a typical Walmart provides.
For that reason, the No. 6 and No. 5 spots belong to Walmart’s little lime green cousin.
There’s nothing much left to say on the Neighborhood Market subject. However, the Fortress Boulevard location is closer to campus than the one on New Salem Highway by nearly two miles, so it gets the edge.
No. 4: 140 Joe B Jackson Parkway
Total: 16 points
- Distance: 1/5 (5.2 miles)
- Organization: 4/5
- Traffic and parking: 3.5/5
- Fresh goods: 5/5
- Additional offerings: 2.5/5
If ranking Murfreesboro’s Walmarts by aesthetic alone, Joe B Jackson would take the cake. Smack dab in scenic Middle Tennessee suburbia, the Joe B Jackson Walmart appears from out of nowhere.
Its obsessive use of windows at its entrances brings the well renowned Walmart aesthetic into the 21st century. Cloaked with greenery and with an outside seating area at the foot of the parking lot, the store perfectly encapsulates the area it resides in.
However, aura alone cannot save this Walmart. Nestled a comfortable 5.2 miles away from MTSU’s campus, the distance alone holds this location back. Five miles quickly turns into a 40-minute round trip in Murfreesboro traffic, after all.
No. 3: 2000 Old Fort Parkway
Total: 18 points
- Distance: 3.5/5 (4.6 miles)
- Organization: 3.5/5
- Traffic and parking: 2.5/5
- Fresh goods: 3.5/5
- Additional offerings: 5/5
The Murfreesboro Walmart perhaps most infamous for its additional offerings is the No. 3 entry. If anything, the Old Fort Walmart is renowned for its iconic Build-A-Bear Workshop.
While Old Fort’s in-store Build-A-Bear isn’t thriving daily, its existence alone earns the location a perfect score in the additional offerings category. What holds this store back, however, is its location and organization.
Sandwiched in the busiest part of town, getting to the Old Fort Walmart in a reasonable amount of time is nearly impossible with area traffic. As masses flock to Target and T.J. Maxx across the intersection, the average Walmart-goer drowns in pure chaos.
Additionally, Old Fort’s layout is the strangest of all the entries. For whatever reason the pharmacy is a mere 10 yards away from the dairy aisle. While not a written rule, milk should be located more than 30 feet from MiraLAX at all times.
No. 2: 2900 S. Rutherford Blvd.
Total: 20 points
- Distance: 5/5 (2.3 miles)
- Organization: 4.5/5
- Traffic and parking: 5/5
- Fresh goods: 4/5
- Additional offerings: 1.5/5
Seated behind the remnants of a local Applebee’s (RIP) is the list’s runner up.
The South Rutherford Walmart feasts off its proximity as a quick trip down the road from campus brings the glorious strip mall that houses the store into view. MTSU’s closest location by mileage easily earns a perfect score in the category.
South Rutherford also benefits from the parking of its neighboring businesses, making it the most accessible Walmart in town and earning another perfect score.
That’s a lot of good, so where’s the bad?
What cripples this location is a severe lack of grub. Every other Walmart on the list (Neighborhood Markets not included) contains a Subway. Despite being the closest location to a college campus, South Rutherford does not. While not a big deal on paper, it’s enough to give the South Rutherford supercenter the worst grade in that category.
Tax services, auto care and a hair salon are cool, but not being able to munch on a footlong whilst strolling the aisles of South Rutherford cements its fate in the No. 2 spot.
No. 1: 2012 Memorial Blvd.
Total: 21 points
- Distance: 4.5/5 (2.5 miles)
- Organization: 4.5/5
- Traffic and parking: 4/5
- Fresh goods: 5/5
- Additional offerings: 3/5
The whole is more than the sum of its parts. These were the words of the philosopher, Aristotle.
While no one ever got a chance to ask him, what old Aristotle probably meant by that was when several elements come together, they often form something greater than their individual components.
When it comes to the best Walmart in Murfreesboro, the whole is more than the sum of its parts.
It may not be the closest Walmart to campus, the biggest store or even the most aesthetically pleasing, but coming in at No. 1 on the list is the Memorial Boulevard location, affectionately referred to by locals as “the airport Walmart.”
It’s convenient location combined with organization and a basic mix of additional offerings such as Subway, a vision center and Jackson Hewitt Tax Services provides just enough value to distinguish it from the others.
Memorial is just good enough in every category to take home the top spot.
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