Who Are the People of Walmart?

The term “people of Walmart” is often used humorously to describe the diverse and exciting characters one might encounter while visiting Walmart. It’s a lighthearted way of acknowledging the diversity of our community, highlighting that all Walmart shoppers are welcome, regardless of their style or appearance.

What Can You Expect While at Walmart?

You never know what you will find when you visit a Walmart. While you probably go armed with a grocery list or one specific item you need, the stores have everything. The massive stores are full of produce, frozen foods, snacks, cleaning supplies, shoes, clothing, you name it.

If you’re not from the United States, the idea of a store housing almost everything under the same roof might overwhelm you. And let us just say it sure can be overwhelming. The layout isn't always the same, so if you go to a new Walmart, you can easily wander the aisles frustrated, unable to find what you need for 20+ minutes.

But while you pace around the store searching desperately for the hand soap that seems to have vanished out of thin air, Walmart is a master at providing one more thing: entertainment in the form of humans doing human things.

Why is It Only Walmart That Attracts Such a Diverse Crowd?

When it comes to why Walmart attracts such an eclectic crowd, we have a few theories. First, Walmart is the largest retailer in the United States and the second largest retailer globally. Because of this, it attracts massive crowds every day.

Everybody knows the Walmart name, and almost all Americans end up there at one point or another. It’s not the fanciest grocery retailer, so it is possible to avoid it, especially in cities like Los Angeles, where local chains far outnumber it. But with an average of 37 million people entering Walmart stores every week, there are bound to be some interesting characters and pictures of a lot happening around them.

And with Walmart’s reputation, it is one of the few places where you wouldn’t feel the need to change out of your sweatpants or make sure your hair looks alright before going. Walmart is a “come as you are” store, which is beautiful. And it breeds the perfect environment for capturing interesting “People of Walmart.”

What Kind of People Visit Walmart?

Many Walmart stores are open until late at night or even 24 hours a day, making the crowd more interesting. Teenagers and college kids might show up after a party for some late-night munchies, or people who have not slept in days might feel that 5 a.m. is the perfect time to go grocery shopping in their robes. Such a diverse crowd is guaranteed to bring us tons of confusing, no-context images.

We’re all for running errands outside peak hours to avoid crowds, but being open all night can open stores to a vast clientele. A great thing about this is that almost all Walmart stores allow overnight parking for free.

Free parking can be tricky in the US for homeless individuals living out of their cars or travelers moving through the country by van, but Walmart always comes through. This might be part of why the customers are so interested, but it’s a lifesaver for individuals in desperate situations who just need a place to park overnight.