Wal-Mart Closing Chicago Express Store

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Wal-Mart Stores is planning to close a Walmart Express store in Chicago’s West Chatham neighborhood one year to the day after it first opened.

The 10,000-square-foot store which sold mainly groceries was losing trips to a Wal-Mart Supercenter that opened next door in January, company officials told the Chicago Tribune.

More Wal-Mart news: Eyes 1st N.J. Neighborhood Market

The store is expected to close Friday, with many of its 24 employees offered jobs at the Supercenter.

A company spokesman told the paper the closing is not a reflection of the Express format, which Wal-Mart is continuing to evaluate at 10 other locations in North Carolina, Arkansas and Illinois.