Associated Press
BENTONVILLE, Ark.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the world's largest retailer, said Wednesday it plans to open 81 new stores and clubs in March, as it slows opening its "Supercenter"-style stores.

Seventy-three of the stores opened this week and employ 16,500 staffers. A total of 26,000 new positions will fill the 81 stores.

Two are Wal-Mart's energy efficient store model. Wal-Mart plans to open a total of four energy-efficient stores, including one that opened in January.

They are opening in states nationwide including North Carolina, Illinois, Michigan, Florida, Ohio, Wisconsin, Texas, Tennessee, South Carolina, Pennsylvania, Oklahoma, New York, Nevada, Indiana and Iowa.

Meanwhile, Wal-Mart said it will open 80 Supercenter-style stores in the first quarter, part of a plan to moderate new Supercenter store growth. That's down 60 percent from the 195 it opened in the last fiscal year.

"We're focused on expansions and relocations of existing discount stores to Supercenters, because the Supercenter concept provides the greatest return," said Bill Simon, chief operating officer of Wal-Mart Stores U.S., in a statement. "This will result in building fewer new stores."