Club & Warehouse

Walmart and Sam’s Club executives are scheduled to participate at several events in Northwest Arkansas in the coming weeks designed to educate the company’s suppliers on digital strategies.

New York -- Although back-to-school sales were unexpectedly sluggish, retail sales for the month of August benefited from a late boost in store traffic.

Of the retailers still reporting monthly sales – most so far are reporting slight increases in August same-store sales. Retail Metrics forecast an overall August gain of 3.2% year-over-year; retail sales advanced 3.3% during the same period last year.

Costco Wholesale Corp. reported a same-store sales rise of 4% in August, surpassing a forecast 3.8% gain.

August seems to have delivered a mixed bag to various retailers, but Costco seems to have fared well with reported net sales of $7.95 billion for the four weeks ended Sept. 1, an increase of 7% from $7.44 billion during the prior-year period.

Comparable-store sales in the U.S., adjusted to exclude changes in gasoline prices, increased 5% for August and for the fourth quarter and increased 6% for the 52-week period.

For the fourth quarter, the company reported net sales of $31.8 billion, an increase of 1% from $31.5 billion in the prior-year quarter.

New York -- Sam's Club will host a grand opening celebration on Thursday, Sept. 5, at its new location in Anchorage. At 145,000 sq. ft., the new club will be more than 50% bigger than the former Anchorage location.

The new club has been constructed to include many environmentally friendly features. Energy-efficient fixtures, including daylight-harvesting skylights, reduce the amount of energy required to light the club by up to 75% daily.

Top executives from Walmart will be sharing insights into the company’s strategies this fall by participating in a wide range of conferences and investor event.
First up is Walmart U.S. president and CEO Bill Simon who is scheduled as the featured luncheon speaker on September 11, at the Goldman Sachs Global Retailing Conference in New York. Simon also spoke at the event in 2010 and 2012 and this year he will be fresh off of headlining Walmart’s U.S. manufacturing summit in Orlando in late August.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Snyder's-Lance has acquired all assets of Stateline Service Corporation, a snack food distributor in Massachusetts, as part of its growth initiative. 

Bentonville, Ark. – A new Sam’s Club store will open in Glen Carbon, Ill.. on Aug. 29. The store will feature a full-service pharmacy, an optical department and also debut the new Sam's Club Hearing Aid Center, offering technology in hearing aid and personal listening devices with access to a certified audiologist.

The 136,000-sq.-ft. store will use LED lighting, including in the cooler, freezer box doors and jewelry counter that is 70% more efficient than traditional fluorescent lighting.

Glen Carbon, Ill. — A new 136,000-sq.-ft. Sam’s Club will host a grand opening on Thursday in Glen Carbon, Ill. A number of local businesses will be on hand for the grand opening to showcase their products. They include The Billy Goat Chip Company, Excel Bottling Co., Jilly’s Cupcake Bar & Café, Zettie’s Confections and Swiss Meat & Sausage Co.