More than 60 Sam’s Club stores are closing nationwide, but the one closest to Greater Williamsburg has survived.
Sixty-three Sam’s Club stores are slated to close across the county, according to a statement from the company released Thursday.
The Sam’s Club on Jefferson Avenue in Newport News will remain open, at least for the time being.
“Change is never easy, but we’re making these decisions as part of running a healthy business,” said John Furner, president and CEO of Sam’s Club, in a press release.
A Sam’s Club in the Marquis Shopping Center was approved by York County’s Board of Supervisors in 2014. However, the store has yet to open, and Sam’s Club has not provided a timeline for the beginning of construction.
Sam’s Club representatives did not immediately respond to a request for comment Thursday regarding plans for the Marquis Sam’s Club.
Among the stores that will be closing are the Sam’s Clubs in Norfolk and Richmond, according to Business Insider. Walmart said in the press release that laid-off employees will receive 60 days’ worth of pay.
In a Tweet sent out at 2:14 p.m. Thursday, Sam’s Club wrote: “After a thorough review of our existing portfolio, we’ve decided to close a series of clubs and better align our locations with our strategy. Closing clubs is never easy and we’re committed to working with impacted members and associates through the transition.”
Business Insider reported the closings could impact more than 11,000 Sam’s Club employees across the country.
Ten of the affected locations are to become “e-commerce distribution centers” that Sam’s Club employees could reapply to, according to a press release from Walmart, parent company of Sam’s Club.
The news broke on the same day that parent-company Walmart announced in a Tweet its plans to raise starting wages for hourly employees to $11, expand benefits and offer workers a “one-time bonus.”
Excited to share some news today! We’re raising our starting wage for all hourly associates in the U.S., expanding benefits & offering a one-time bonus! 💛 Learn more from CEO Doug McMillon: https://t.co/vgBJ1KRLB6 pic.twitter.com/pPEdZCYSr1
— Walmart (@Walmart) January 11, 2018
In a separate news release, also issued Thursday, Walmart CEO Doug McMillon attributed the changes to a lower business tax rate recently approved by President Donald Trump and the U.S. Congress.
“We plan to continue investing in you, in our customers through lower prices, and in our future — especially in technology to help improve your jobs and the experience for our customers,” the release said.
