'Member Surge' Walmart Sam's Club to Add 30 More Stores in the US

[Asia Economy New York=Special Correspondent Joselgina] Sam's Club, a warehouse discount store under Walmart, announced plans to open more than 30 new stores in the United States over the next five years.

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

On the 26th (local time), Cas McLay, CEO of Sam's Club, explained in an interview with CNBC, "With retailers' sales surging and membership numbers reaching an all-time high, we want to reach more customers," outlining an aggressive store expansion plan.

Accordingly, Sam's Club plans to add more than 30 stores over the next five years. The new stores will primarily be located in suburban areas where warehouse stores are not currently present. They will be approximately 160,000 square feet in size and include larger waiting areas and spaces dedicated to online options.

CEO McLay emphasized that due to high inflation and other factors, more customers have recently been visiting warehouse markets like Sam's Club, stating, "This is really the right time for us." CNBC reported that during the pandemic, membership numbers at warehouse markets such as Sam's Club and Costco surged sharply.

Currently, Sam's Club operates about 600 stores in the United States, including Puerto Rico. A store opening in Florida is scheduled for 2024. Starting with Georgia, five fulfillment and distribution centers will also open this year.

However, he did not mention the costs involved in this store expansion. Currently, Sam's Club expects that this expansion will ultimately lead to increased employment and have a positive impact on local economic revitalization. CNBC reported that typically, each store employs between 150 and 175 people, and fulfillment centers have more than 1,000 employees.

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