I thought the same thing until I read that Sam's new stores will all be in a new, even larger size of 160,000 Sq ft or more so they can fit in all their fancy new features they've been piloting like the "Fresh Market" with service deli and service meat/seafood counters. By comparison the new Costco prototype is actually a tad smaller than the new Sam's will be (Costco is now building at 153,000 Sq ft as their standard). Since it is hard to get anything large approved in Portland there's no chance they would be able to build that new format.Super S wrote: ↑March 8th, 2023, 11:25 ambabs wrote: ↑March 8th, 2023, 9:27 am
Now here is an interesting thought. Could the Eastport Plaza store become a Sam's Club? The Hayden Meadows store is likely too small. The membership requirements would reduce theft. There is no Costco nearby that poses much of a competitive threat. I doubt it will happen but it could be a way to capture some sales. And I think they own both buildings.
It would be a convenient way for Sam's Club to come back to the Northwest. Membership requirements would restrict access. It might work at Eastport, but there is no way at Hayden Meadows with the small store size and small parking lot. It all depends on how receptive Portland would be to a Sam's Club instead of a traditional Walmart. Portland would be a new market for Sam's Club.
Hopefully this doesn't turn into a case where Walmart sits with a closed building for years to keep the competition out. A vacant building attracts vandalism. The still vacant Kmart at 122nd & Sandy is a good example of this.
I do fully expect to see Sam's return to the PNW albeit slowly and with lots of marketing involved. They've made it clear that they intend to get into the major markets where they currently have no presence. They will need to bring their best game and that means entirely new buildings with all the bells and whistles like those service counters as well as all the environmental initiatives that everyone wants up there (heavy solar use, the fuel cell power plants and fully electrified buildings). These will fail if they are anything less than the best stores in the Sam's organization and they'll have to open several stores all at once to make the membership worthwhile to the customers there. I expect they will be forced to do the free or heavily discounted membership promos they're currently doing to get people in the door since Costco is so firmly entrenched. They will probably get fully established in the San Francisco Bay area and San Diego areas first. San Diego has only one store and it is bursting at the seams these days as customers embrace the improved Sam's concept.