Sam’s Club to move into new headquarters

BENTONVILLE, ARK. —One of the nicest office buildings in Northwest Arkansas will have a new tenant early next year as Wal-Mart Stores has purchased a recently-constructed building near its home office to house its Sam’s Club division.

The $44.4 billion warehouse club retailer currently occupies two aging and overcrowded structures within walking distance of Wal-Mart’s Bentonville headquarters, whereas the newly-acquired building is located about three miles away.

Wal-Mart paid $29.9 million for the 375,000-square-foot, four-story building located at 2101 S.E. 25th Street in Bentonville. The additional space should provide a more comfortable work environment for employees and a more convenient experience for those who call on Sam’s Club, as functions such as merchandising, operations, membership and other related departments will now be housed under one roof.

The transition to the new facility is expected to be completed by the first quarter of 2009. The move comes as Sam’s Club is experiencing strong sales amid a challenging economy that has consumers and small business customers seeking value. Sam’s Club operated 594 clubs in the United States as of August 31, 2008.