PRAIRIE GROVE (KFSM) -- Walmart Express stores left empty after a mass closing are showing life once again across the area.
Prairie Grove plans to turn it into the city’s public library, taking the existing one from 6,500 square feet to about 15,000.
“It's a building we can grow into overtime and the price that we got it we feel like we did good for the city. We are always looking for the next 5, 10, 15, 20 years and this is going to give us that growth,” Larry Oelrich said.
Library children`s coordinator Megan Woode said their library is currently in two building, one for adults and one for children. She said it will be great to finally be under one roof.
“We have some many ideas we've wanted to do for years and it's just been really hard to get things done when you are having to split off in the afternoons to man two different buildings. So now being the children`s coordinator I can focus more on doing children`s programming and teen programming,” Woode said.
Karen McCratic comes with her family to the library often and while she doesn't live far from the library having to wait until one when the children`s library opens can be a pain.
“Having the children`s library and adult library combined into one and having that all day opportunity to come, especially during the summer when it`s hot in the afternoon will really be fantastic,” she said.
The city has signed a contract on the old Walmart express to purchase it for $775,000 but thanks to donations from Harp's and Prairie Grove citizens the city will only have to pay just under $300,000.
The library plans on starting renovations on the old Walmart express this summer and plan to move in and be open to the public by the fall. They plan to sell cooler and shelves left inside by Walmart to help with the expenses.
The city plans to use the old library buildings for other city business.
The library has an average of 20 new library cards a month.