VIDALIA &8212; The new Wal-Mart Supercenter in Vidalia opened its doors at 8 a.m. Wednesday, following the ribbon cutting ceremony.

&8220;I know this is something we&8217;ve been waiting for and talking about for a long time and I&8217;m proud to say it&8217;s finally here,&8221; Store Manager Timothy Coleman said.

Besides all of the Wal-Mart staff, Concordia Parish officials were also present, including Vidalia Mayor Hyram Copeland and Chamber of Commerce President Vernon Stevens.

&8220;We&8217;re excited about it finally coming here,&8221; Copeland said. &8220;I think it&8217;s going to be a tremendous asset for the Miss-Lou.&8221;

At the ceremony, Coleman presented Copeland with a check for $7,500 made out to the Concordia Youth and Adult Community Center.

&8220;We are honored that you (Copeland) let us put the Wal-Mart here and we hope to give you many happy returns,&8221; Coleman said.

Coleman also presented a check of $7,500 to the town of Ferriday, but Mayor Gene Allen was unable to attend.

Carolyn Smith, 54, Vidalia, said it feels great to be the first customer to step foot inside the store.

&8220;I&8217;m so happy that I can do one-stop shopping and am able to keep my tax dollars in Louisiana,&8221; Smith said.

Smith also said she has a positive outlook on the city&8217;s progress as a result of Wal-Mart.

&8220;I&8217;ve lived in this town for five years and it just feels good to see all of the development and see this little town growing,&8221; Smith said.

Coleman said he was particularly proud that Wal-Mart was able to offer the employees from the old Wal-Mart in Ferriday their jobs.

About 80 people from the Ferriday staff kept their jobs with the supercenter and 160 were newly hired.

&8220;My only regret is that we can&8217;t hire more,&8221; Coleman said.

&8220;There are a lot of impoverished areas in Concordia Parish, and I would love to give the people who live in those areas the chance to work here.&8221;

Dimple Web, 47, from Waterproof, worked in the Ferriday Wal-Mart for a year before she heard the store would be closing and moving to Vidalia.

Web said she was happy when she found out she would get to keep her job.

&8220;I like my job here because I enjoy meeting new people and because I like working with the public,&8221; Web said.

Shamekia Kaho, 21, is an Alcorn University nursing major and is a first-time employee at the supercenter.

&8220;I like Wal-Mart, so when I heard that a new store was opening here I was one of the first ones to apply,&8221; Kaho said.

Kaho, a devoted customer to Wal-Mart, said she decided to apply because she wanted to give something back to the store in which she loves to shop.