Clinton Walmart closing for good, Friday

CLINTON, IL. (WAND) - Friday, a business that's been a staple in the Clinton community for 35 years is set to close its doors for good. There are more than 160 Walmart stores in the state of Illinois. However, losing one close to home isn't right to Clinton residents like Scott Marsh. Walmart's closing is described as a hit to his family and friends. 

"It was a shock," Marsh said, who expressed he wasn't prepared for Walmart to close. "I think it's going to have a profound impact on the community and not just an economic sense." 

Giving back to families will present itself as a challenge for Marsh after the box store closes. Marsh is a pastor with the Texas Christian Church and sometimes, they'll focus on community service. He said the Walmart in Clinton was their location to ring the bell for the Salvation Army. Marsh noted the majority of the money from 'ringing the bell' would go back to DeWitt county. 

Soon, the box store will be an open space. 

Walmart's director of communications, Anne Hatfield, gave a statement about the store closing that said in part: 

"The decision to close our Clinton store is not an easy one, but, as a company, we are committed to continuing our growth and investment in Illinois."

For something that's been around since the early eighties, Marsh described the soon-to-be change, to losing someone close. 

70 employees can get transferred to a nearby store. If they don't want to, then employees will get paid until August 31. Walmart said if a transfer isn't available, they could get a severance package.