A grand opening years in the making, the new Walmart Supercenter has finally opened in West Wareham.

A crowd of about 60 people milled around the entrance to the Walmart, at 15 Tobey Road, for the grand opening event on Wednesday at 7 a.m. The opening, which was originally scheduled for spring, was pushed back to Aug. 26, due to a harsh winter and an improperly-laid National Gas grid on Route 28.

After a brief opening speech and the raising of the American flag, Manager Paul Jandrow presented checks to various Wareham organizations. The Cape Verdean Association received $500, Tobey Hospital’s Children’s Miracle Network received $600, the VFW received $500, and the Wareham Police Department received $2,000.

Jandrow said he expected to see at least 3,000 customers come through the doors that day.

“We have rollbacks all throughout the store,” Jandrow said.

Customer Robert Wilson and his wife, both summer residents of the area, were among those looking for bargains. Wilson said they were surprised at the much later opening of the store.

“We thought the minute we got back in early June, the new Walmart would be open,” Wilson said.

But Wilson said he and his wife were pleased, overall.

“This is a wonderful new location for us,” Wilson said. “I think the traffic will be easier to commute from our home to this new location, as opposed to the other location.”

The old Walmart in East Wareham closed Tuesday night, in anticipation of the new location’s opening in West Wareham.

Walmart spokesperson Bill Wertz said that all the East Wareham associates have been offered employment at the new West Wareham Walmart, although he didn’t know what percentage of associates had taken the offer.

Walmart also owns the building at 3005 Cranberry Highway in East Wareham. They have given no official word on who, if anyone, they have sold the building to.