FAIRBURY - A major international retailer that's been a key piece in a Southeast Nebraska city for 45 years celebrated the completion of a months-long renovation and reorganization project Friday morning.

Fairbury was one of the very first towns in the state of Nebraska that Walmart put down roots in back in the early 80s, and Friday the big chain formally debuted a renovated and redesigned storefront and interior.

Regional reps of the company celebrated the achievement alongside local Fairbury leadership with a ribbon-cutting ceremony Friday morning, with an employee named Angie, who's worked at the Fairbury Walmart almost as long as it's existed, chosen to do the honors.

"It took 16 weeks of hard work to get this done. And now we get to turn this thing into a brand new looking environment for you, for the community,"  store manager Josh Lee said in his remarks to a large crowd of students, employees, and shoppers Friday. "We want to do everything we can to help with the community, be a part of the community. We really appreciate everything you have done, and continue to do. And just to have this space for you guys is huge, just the things that we can do for you."

Walmart market manager Mike Kurtz credited the Fairbury store's former manager, who now works at the store in Beatrice, as the driving force behind these improvements.

"So many times it’s just thrown together, and he really invested a lot of time with the buyers, everything in the home office, to make sure that we had the right layout, and it really worked out great," Kurtz said.

Stores with massive national and international presences and scopes like Walmart haven't always been beneficial for small Nebraska communities like Fairbury, but they can provide a lot of good for these towns and their residents as well. Fairbury mayor Kelly Davis, who was part of the team that put the roof on the original Walmart building back in 1981, said Walmart contributed nearly $50,000 back to the city through the two percent sales tax last year. The corporation also donated $2,000 to local org Camp Jefferson during Friday's ceremony.

"We’re tickled that Walmart has invested in us for basically a third time. They’ve invested a lot in Fairbury. They’ve done a lot of good for Fairbury," Davis said. "That [money] goes to Fairbury to work with infrastructure, sewers, water lines, streets, alleys. Every little bit helps, and I don’t think we get that much from anywhere else."

Walmart has called this building just north of town on Highway 15 home since 2004, and the renovations completed this week include new product layouts, new flooring, new signage, an expanded pharmacy and pickup services, and a new mural commissioned from the corporate level titled "A Journey Ahead."

The spirit of the original mural that donned the Walmart walls, painted by local artist Once, still lives on in a photo hanging next to the redesigned store's main entrance.