Sam’s Club to Open 30-Plus New Stores

Sam’s Club (Bentonville, Ark.), a membership warehouse club, has unveiled plans jumpstart its store expansion by opening more than 30 new locations across the U.S. over the next five years. The first new location – and the first member of the chain to open since 2017 – is slated to open next year in Florida.

The retailer also said it plans to modernize its supply chain by opening five new distribution and fulfillment center locations across the country. The first of those is set to open in Georgia later this year.

The decision to resume expanding its physical footprint was motivated by historic comparable sales growth, and a record rise in membership over the last two years, the retailer said in a news release.

“We’ve seen remarkable growth over the past few years with a record number of members, and we’re excited to bring the experience of Sam’s Club to even more markets as we expand our footprint,” said Sam’s Club CEO Kathryn McLay. “And as we open new clubs in new locations, we’ll continue to innovate so that our members shop and save whether in person or online.”

Over the past several years, the chain said it has redesigned the majority of its 600 existing clubs, making them brighter, easier to navigate, and more functional. The new clubs will be approximately 160,000 square feet, larger than most current locations, and most will feature a seafood/sushi island, full-service floral, and walk-in dairy and fresh coolers.

Additionally, members will have access to a larger healthcare space, including a patient waiting area, health services suites, private consultation rooms, and dedicated hearing and optical centers. Many of the new locations will also include fuel stations and liquor offerings.