Walmart plans eight-pump fuel station in South Tampa

Walmart is moving to add a fuel station at its South Tampa store on West Gandy Boulevard, expanding the site’s footprint beyond traditional retail.

Walmart has filed plans to build a 1,618-square-foot, eight-pump fuel station at its store at 4302 W. Gandy Blvd. in South Tampa.

The filing is tied to a related building permit, signaling the project is advancing through the approval process.

Wal-Mart Stores East LP is listed as both the applicant and property owner. Frank Rojas, based in Bentonville, Arkansas, is the contact on the filing. He did not respond to a request for comment. Tampa-based CPH Consulting is serving as the authorized agent on the project.

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The project is classified as new construction and includes one building. Utility requests include domestic water, irrigation and fire protection service. Plans call for one domestic water meter and a separate irrigation meter, with peak irrigation demand listed at approximately 55 gallons per minute.

Post-construction plans show two flush valve toilets, two restroom hand sinks and one additional sink, indicating a small enclosed structure associated with the fueling area. The proposed use is categorized as a service station and convenience store, with anticipated operations exceeding 16 hours per day.

City records show a wastewater commitment has been issued through February 2027.

Why it matters

Walmart’s fuel expansion is part of a broader national strategy. The company opened its 400th fuel station in late 2024 and said in 2025 that it aimed to reach roughly 450 locations nationwide by the end of that year.

“We just knew in our parking lots, we could serve customers,” Dave DeSerio, Walmart’s vice president of fuel and convenience, said in an interview with C-Store Dive. He added that “nothing is off limits” as the company evaluates markets nationwide.

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DeSerio has described fuel as an extension of Walmart’s everyday low price model, designed to increase convenience and loyalty while leveraging the company’s real estate footprint.

Fuel remains one of the most consistent traffic drivers in big-box retail. By adding on-site fueling, Walmart strengthens the economics of the underlying real estate, increases customer visit frequency and captures a larger share of household spending per trip.

On corridors like Gandy Boulevard, it also helps prevent those trips from shifting to nearby competing stations.

What we do not know

Walmart has not disclosed a construction timeline, total project cost or anticipated opening date. The company has also not said whether additional fuel stations are planned for other Tampa Bay locations.