COOS BAY - The Walmart in Coos Bay isn't expanding, but a redesign could have shoppers thinking there's more space in the superstore, officials said.

The international chain has started remodeling stores nationwide, replacing shelving, signs and flooring, while developing a new floor plan with wider aisles and a brighter paint scheme.

Company officials expect to revamp nearly 80 percent of their existing stores. Coos Bay is one of the first.

Work began at the start of June, said Randy Jones, the store's manager. The bank of cash registers has been replaced and signs with the company's new logo, color scheme and spelling (it's one word now, instead of Wal-Mart) are going up.

There's still plenty to be done before re-opening celebrations planned for the middle of August. Walmart's pharmacy is operating out of a makeshift structure while a new facility is coming together. There's also a shifting of shelves around the store as workers set down new tiles.

The Coos Bay Walmart has hired about 70 temporary employees to help remodel its store. They have recently been busy taking apart shelves in the old toy section.

Toys is one of the areas that will shrink a little bit, along with the apparel section, Jones explained. The space saved from that will allow the store to expand its electronics section, and make the pharmacy area a little more spacious. There's also a plan to consolidate groceries, pet food and paper products into one place, at the back of the store.

The changes came from customer feedback collected from across the country, Jones said. 

The store is open during the renovations, with most of the construction work taking place during the overnight hours, a press release said. But there is work going on all the time, which had at least one customer grumbling as he walked by the work zone.

It's only a matter of time before customers will get to see the fruits of the work, Jones said.

"We don't gain any square footage, but with the changes we're making, people will think that we did," he said.