Former Bowling Congress headquarters might become Wal-Mart

Wal-Mart is looking to build a store at the former headquarters of the United States Bowling Congress on S. 76th St. across from Southridge Mall in Greendale, a Wisconsin spokeswoman for the retail chain confirmed.

Sources expect Wal-Mart to propose one of its new stand-alone grocery stores for the Greendale site. If that's the case, it would be the first of its kind in the Milwaukee area.

The company has introduced a smaller grocery format of 30,000 to 60,000 square feet in urban areas in the U.S.

No details were available Monday, but an announcement on the 10-acre site is expected this week. The Greendale site has remained vacant since the Bowling Congress moved two years ago to Arlington, Texas.

Greendale village manager Todd Michaels said: "Our village leaders are working with a number of parties to explore options for new developments in the S. 76th Street commercial area. Out of respect for our partners, it is our policy not to comment or confirm any new developments without the consent of all parties."

Wal-Mart has been aggressively expanding in the Milwaukee metro area. The company opened two large stores with grocery departments in the past month, in Muskego and Waukesha.

Another large format Wal-Mart is in the works in Greenfield, to replace the existing Wal-Mart on S. 108th St. at W. Layton Ave. That new store will be built on an adjoining site, and the old store will be offered to other retailers, according to the plan.