WalMart Stores Inc. has purchased the former Murray Hill Haggen store property in Beaverton.

WalMart bought the property at 9055 S.W. Murray Blvd. from a subsidiary of Haggen Inc., but has no plans to develop it, said Jennifer Spall, a senior public affairs manager covering Oregon and Washington for the retailer.

"At this time," Spall said, "it is being added to our real estate portfolio."

There's been much speculation over that property, as the world's largest retailer has been eyeing more locations for its smaller neighborhood stores.

WalMart's

concepts were started in 1998 and are typically around 42,000 square feet -- compared to the 130,000-square-foot-plus of its supercenters. The stores typically have around 95 employees and offer about 28,000 items. In 2008, the retailer launched its line of

stores that focus on meat, produce, prepared meals, some health and beauty items, and wide assortment of wines.

Currently, WalMart operates four of the Marketside stores, which are typically around 15,000 square feet, in the Phoenix area.

Haggen

-- and another in Tanasbourne -- earlier this year after it was

, a private equity firm based in Florida.

, based in Bellingham, Wash., still operates stores in Tualatin and Oregon City, along with 27 others in Washington that carry either the Haggen name or TOP Food and Drug.

The Haggen company Briar Development had owned the property and completed the sale on Friday, said Haggen spokeswoman Becky Skaggs.

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