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NILES – At around 11:30 a.m. on Thursday, texts from the Niles city alert system went out to users that the Niles Supercenter Walmart, located at 2107 S. 11^th St., would be closing at 2 p.m. Thursday.

A representative from Walmart’s Corporate Affairs team, Casey Staheli, said the store would reopen 7 a.m. Saturday.

During the closure, a third-party cleaning crew will be cleaning and sanitizing the building, and associates will be restocking the shelves and prepping the store to reopen afterward. Staheli said the closure was part of a company-initiated program to allow for the cleanings.

Walmart’s Corporate Affairs team provided a statement.

“Everything we’re doing is for the well-being of our associates and customers, and in consideration of guidance by the Centers for Disease Control and health experts. When the store reopens Saturday, we will continue conducting associate health screens and temperature checks, and all associates will be provided with facemasks and gloves,” said the statement. “These protocols are in addition to the extensive measures we’ve put in place during the pandemic to help protect our associates and customers, including installing sneeze guards at registers, temperature checks and mandatory mask-wearing for associates, placing social distancing signage and enacting emergency leave policy for associates who are unable or uncomfortable coming to work. Additionally, through the help of our health ambassadors, we will continue requiring customers to wear protective facial coverings while inside the building.

We will continue working closely with elected and local health officials, adjusting how we serve the community while also keeping the health and safety of our customers and associates in mind.”