OAKLEAF — With chants of ardor, Walmart employees hyped up a crowd of ready shoppers during their Oakleaf grand opening on Wednesday.

The new store, located at 10000 Omni Dr. was highly anticipated with hundreds of community members lining the store parking lot as early as 6 a.m. The first 250 customers were given $25 Walmart gift cards.

"We are here to serve the community," said Store Manager Brian Jackson.

The daylong celebration featured performances by the Oakleaf Junior High Jazz Ensemble and the Oakleaf High Band, face painting, giveaways and a special appearance from former Jaguars running back Fred Taylor. Jackson said it had one of the largest turnouts he had ever seen for a Walmart grand opening. 

The modern look of the store is designed to reflect a new generation of customers, the store said. In addition to groceries and everyday essentials, the supercenter will feature a fresh sushi bar, a Dunkin', a state-of-the-art vision center and a fuel station. Jackson said the store will also offer upscale apparel and home goods.

"We've got some really great things in this building," he said.

Bringing 400 new jobs to the region, the store is also part of Walmart's multi-million-dollar investment to open 150 stores nationwide of the next several years. Sixteen percent of associates, Jackson said, are new employees.

"I hope that we can be a part of this community...and the community can be proud," he added.