The Largest Walmart in America is Located Right Here in New York

Did you know that the largest Walmart store in the world is located in New York?

Most of us have done some shopping at Walmart at one time or another. It's the store most of us shop at for just about everything. Some of us even enjoy simply walking around a Walmart store when we're bored with nothing else to do. Yeah, that's me...LOL! There are over 3,500 Walmart Supercenters in the U.S., and each one is different in its own way, but did you know that the largest store in the world is located in Upstate New York?

Largest Walmart Store in the World is in Upstate New York

The largest Walmart in the United States, located in Albany, New York, store 2152 is an incredible 260,000 square feet that's spread across two floors! That's right, this isn't your typical Walmart where you grab a shopping cart and walk up and down the aisles. Shopping here has been called "unusual" by some.

Largest Walmart Store in the World Albany, NY

A Walmart With Two Floors

The massive Albany location at 141 Washington Ave Ext., in Albany is one of just a handful of Walmart stores in the country featuring two levels. Customers can actually take an escalator between floors, something that can be a little surprising if you're visiting for the first time.

According to Walmart, store manager Dwayne Hazel said the experience is extremely unique for customers. He even recalled how people sometimes ask where certain departments are, only to be directed toward an escalator. Their reaction? Their jaws drop.

And it's easy to see why. Most of us are used to one-level Walmart stores, so finding out you need to head upstairs or downstairs to finish your shopping is a pretty different experience.

The Famous 'Cartalator'

One of the coolest features of the Albany Walmart is something called a cartalator. It's essentially an escalator for shopping carts that runs alongside the regular escalator, allowing customers to take their carts between floors.

And these aren't just regular shopping carts. The store requires specially designed carts without a bottom shelf so they can safely attach to the moving cart escalator.

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The layout is also a little different from what you might expect. The downstairs level is dedicated to groceries, while the upstairs has just about everything else, including clothing, electronics, toys, automotive supplies, and the garden center.

The building is actually constructed into a hill, which allows customers to enter the store from either floor.

Walmart Store

How Albany Ended Up With the Biggest Walmart

Believe it or not, the store wasn't originally designed to be one massive Walmart. When the building opened in 1994, it housed a Walmart department store upstairs and a Sam's Club downstairs.

After Sam's Club closed in 2008, Walmart decided to expand into the empty space rather than build outward. The company connected the two floors, creating the massive Supercenter that shoppers visit today.

So, the next time you're in the Albany area, you might want to check out this Walmart. Even if you don't need groceries or a new television, it's worth seeing a store where you actually need an escalator to finish your shopping!