Sam's Club to focus Member's Mark on sustainability

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Re: Sam's Club to focus Member's Mark on sustainability

Post by DFWRetaileWatcher »

buckguy wrote: April 27th, 2022, 3:04 pm Costco has surprising gaps in their coverage, so they have room to grow. Next year, they're opening their first store in the Buffalo area, which could support more than one store. They only have a few stores in the Philly area--they have better representation around Pittsburgh which is a much smaller and less affluent metro area. They have stores in Connecticut but none in the New Haven area.

Costco has been able to identify opportunities to open stores in built up areas---they have locations in the DC area, one in a mall that had a dead wing, another near new the Amazon 2nd HQ that normally would be viewed as challenging to locate such a large store. They found a location not far from one of the Walmart that's closing outside of Cleveland, which needed more creativity than Walmart's and opened around the same time. The DC Costco has been very successful, despite being not too far from a suburban store--it used to be easy to shop on weekdays, but not anymore. Costco also has the advantage of not being tied to another business and one with a tarnished reputation.
I just hope Costco doesn't lose its focus as it attempts to expand into these areas with "gaps in their coverage."

The great thing about Costco, and how it has remained competitive with Sam's Club up until this point (while others have failed) is that it offers an upscale warehouse club experience with a private label that's higher quality, employees that are treated well and fairly unqiue membership perks/discounts.

That's why for a long time, new stores only opened in exclusively upper middle class areas that were fast-growing or high density. But if it's now going to try and force itself into these lower density and/or lower income areas for the sake of market share, I fear they will overextend themselves as their margin takes a hit and thus their quality/shopping experience will suffer.
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Re: Sam's Club to focus Member's Mark on sustainability

Post by mbz321 »

DFWRetaileWatcher wrote: April 28th, 2022, 1:44 am
That's why for a long time, new stores only opened in exclusively upper middle class areas that were fast-growing or high density. But if it's now going to try and force itself into these lower density and/or lower income areas for the sake of market share, I fear they will overextend themselves as their margin takes a hit and thus their quality/shopping experience will suffer.
As an employee, this definitely has me worried as well. Some of their newer locations seem a bit iffy, like Rochester New York, an area that is a bit on the lower-end demographic wise compared to areas where Costco usually opens. (A store is supposed to open in Amherst NY in 2023), as well as a location in Springfield, Missouri. In the last few years, they have opened several locations in 'Sam's Territory'.
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Re: Sam's Club to focus Member's Mark on sustainability

Post by BillyGr »

buckguy wrote: April 27th, 2022, 3:04 pm Costco has surprising gaps in their coverage, so they have room to grow. Next year, they're opening their first store in the Buffalo area, which could support more than one store. They only have a few stores in the Philly area--they have better representation around Pittsburgh which is a much smaller and less affluent metro area. They have stores in Connecticut but none in the New Haven area.

Costco has been able to identify opportunities to open stores in built up areas---they have locations in the DC area, one in a mall that had a dead wing, another near new the Amazon 2nd HQ that normally would be viewed as challenging to locate such a large store. They found a location not far from one of the Walmart that's closing outside of Cleveland, which needed more creativity than Walmart's and opened around the same time. The DC Costco has been very successful, despite being not too far from a suburban store--it used to be easy to shop on weekdays, but not anymore. Costco also has the advantage of not being tied to another business and one with a tarnished reputation.
They've been trying to get one around Albany as well, but have had issues with the site(s) they wanted to put it in so, so far it hasn't happened.
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Re: Sam's Club to focus Member's Mark on sustainability

Post by Brian Lutz »

Although not to nearly the extent that Walmart does, it seems reasonably common for proposed Costco stores to run into a decent amount of resistance in some places. Here in Lake Stevens a new Costco is in the process of being built now and scheduled to open in late 2022, but a small group of residents in the area have filed repeated lawsuits seeking have the store's permits revoked, even going as far as trying to file a (quickly rejected) lawsuit in federal court against it.

As for Sam's Club, they conceded the Pacific Northwest to Costco several years ago when they closed the few locations they had in Washington and Oregon. and it seems unlikely that they will try to take on Costco in their home territory again any time soon. I believe they still own the real estate for the store in Renton which I believe is being used as some sort of an Amazon delivery hub currently, but the Auburn store (a former Incredible Universe) got turned into a combined health club/sports/trampoline park complex called Fieldhouse USA, and Costco is looking to take over the former Aurora location in Seattle.
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Re: Sam's Club to focus Member's Mark on sustainability

Post by norcalriteaidclerk »

Brian Lutz wrote: April 28th, 2022, 8:46 am Although not to nearly the extent that Walmart does, it seems reasonably common for proposed Costco stores to run into a decent amount of resistance in some places. Here in Lake Stevens a new Costco is in the process of being built now and scheduled to open in late 2022, but a small group of residents in the area have filed repeated lawsuits seeking have the store's permits revoked, even going as far as trying to file a (quickly rejected) lawsuit in federal court against it.

As for Sam's Club, they conceded the Pacific Northwest to Costco several years ago when they closed the few locations they had in Washington and Oregon. and it seems unlikely that they will try to take on Costco in their home territory again any time soon. I believe they still own the real estate for the store in Renton which I believe is being used as some sort of an Amazon delivery hub currently, but the Auburn store (a former Incredible Universe) got turned into a combined health club/sports/trampoline park complex called Fieldhouse USA, and Costco is looking to take over the former Aurora location in Seattle.
It's safe to say that Costco continues to eat Sam's Club's lunch in Sacramento as well as they still continue to grow locally despite some neighborhood pushback in the rural exurbs(which has so far impeded new locations in Auburn and Rocklin/Loomis).In addition to opening their first local Business Center in the old Country Club Sam's Club they opened their first Elk Grove location a few years back and are planning their first Natomas location(a new build off of Interstate 5 rather than just recycling the old Sam's Club in that area,possibly due to deed restrictions on that building which may or may not still be vacant,no such deed restriction existed on the Country Club Sam's).
For your life,Thrifty and Payless have got it.
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Re: Sam's Club to focus Member's Mark on sustainability

Post by jamcool »

Sam’s Club has always been more business oriented than Costco, more restaurant packs and boxes of single serve snacks and candy.
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Re: Sam's Club to focus Member's Mark on sustainability

Post by veteran+ »

norcalriteaidclerk wrote: April 28th, 2022, 12:17 pm
Brian Lutz wrote: April 28th, 2022, 8:46 am Although not to nearly the extent that Walmart does, it seems reasonably common for proposed Costco stores to run into a decent amount of resistance in some places. Here in Lake Stevens a new Costco is in the process of being built now and scheduled to open in late 2022, but a small group of residents in the area have filed repeated lawsuits seeking have the store's permits revoked, even going as far as trying to file a (quickly rejected) lawsuit in federal court against it.

As for Sam's Club, they conceded the Pacific Northwest to Costco several years ago when they closed the few locations they had in Washington and Oregon. and it seems unlikely that they will try to take on Costco in their home territory again any time soon. I believe they still own the real estate for the store in Renton which I believe is being used as some sort of an Amazon delivery hub currently, but the Auburn store (a former Incredible Universe) got turned into a combined health club/sports/trampoline park complex called Fieldhouse USA, and Costco is looking to take over the former Aurora location in Seattle.
It's safe to say that Costco continues to eat Sam's Club's lunch in Sacramento as well as they still continue to grow locally despite some neighborhood pushback in the rural exurbs(which has so far impeded new locations in Auburn and Rocklin/Loomis).In addition to opening their first local Business Center in the old Country Club Sam's Club they opened their first Elk Grove location a few years back and are planning their first Natomas location(a new build off of Interstate 5 rather than just recycling the old Sam's Club in that area,possibly due to deed restrictions on that building which may or may not still be vacant,no such deed restriction existed on the Country Club Sam's).
Sure hope they continue to eat Sam's for lunch!!!!

😇
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Re: Sam's Club to focus Member's Mark on sustainability

Post by lake52 »

norcalriteaidclerk wrote: April 28th, 2022, 12:17 pm
Brian Lutz wrote: April 28th, 2022, 8:46 am Although not to nearly the extent that Walmart does, it seems reasonably common for proposed Costco stores to run into a decent amount of resistance in some places. Here in Lake Stevens a new Costco is in the process of being built now and scheduled to open in late 2022, but a small group of residents in the area have filed repeated lawsuits seeking have the store's permits revoked, even going as far as trying to file a (quickly rejected) lawsuit in federal court against it.

As for Sam's Club, they conceded the Pacific Northwest to Costco several years ago when they closed the few locations they had in Washington and Oregon. and it seems unlikely that they will try to take on Costco in their home territory again any time soon. I believe they still own the real estate for the store in Renton which I believe is being used as some sort of an Amazon delivery hub currently, but the Auburn store (a former Incredible Universe) got turned into a combined health club/sports/trampoline park complex called Fieldhouse USA, and Costco is looking to take over the former Aurora location in Seattle.
It's safe to say that Costco continues to eat Sam's Club's lunch in Sacramento as well as they still continue to grow locally despite some neighborhood pushback in the rural exurbs(which has so far impeded new locations in Auburn and Rocklin/Loomis).In addition to opening their first local Business Center in the old Country Club Sam's Club they opened their first Elk Grove location a few years back and are planning their first Natomas location(a new build off of Interstate 5 rather than just recycling the old Sam's Club in that area,possibly due to deed restrictions on that building which may or may not still be vacant,no such deed restriction existed on the Country Club Sam's).
The old Sam’s Club in Natomas has been occupied for years now by Burlington and Ashley. It wasn’t vacant for all that long.

Along with the Loomis, North Sacramento, and Auburn new stores you mention they’re also planning one in El Dorado Hills.

The Roseville Sam’s Club does good business but I wonder how much of that is because people can’t stand the mess that is the Roseville Costco.
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Re: Sam's Club to focus Member's Mark on sustainability

Post by babs »

norcalriteaidclerk wrote: April 28th, 2022, 12:17 pm
Brian Lutz wrote: April 28th, 2022, 8:46 am Although not to nearly the extent that Walmart does, it seems reasonably common for proposed Costco stores to run into a decent amount of resistance in some places. Here in Lake Stevens a new Costco is in the process of being built now and scheduled to open in late 2022, but a small group of residents in the area have filed repeated lawsuits seeking have the store's permits revoked, even going as far as trying to file a (quickly rejected) lawsuit in federal court against it.

As for Sam's Club, they conceded the Pacific Northwest to Costco several years ago when they closed the few locations they had in Washington and Oregon. and it seems unlikely that they will try to take on Costco in their home territory again any time soon. I believe they still own the real estate for the store in Renton which I believe is being used as some sort of an Amazon delivery hub currently, but the Auburn store (a former Incredible Universe) got turned into a combined health club/sports/trampoline park complex called Fieldhouse USA, and Costco is looking to take over the former Aurora location in Seattle.
It's safe to say that Costco continues to eat Sam's Club's lunch in Sacramento as well as they still continue to grow locally despite some neighborhood pushback in the rural exurbs(which has so far impeded new locations in Auburn and Rocklin/Loomis).In addition to opening their first local Business Center in the old Country Club Sam's Club they opened their first Elk Grove location a few years back and are planning their first Natomas location(a new build off of Interstate 5 rather than just recycling the old Sam's Club in that area,possibly due to deed restrictions on that building which may or may not still be vacant,no such deed restriction existed on the Country Club Sam's).
Costco ran into a ton of opposition with the new Salem store and the city council voted to block it. However the developer already had a deal to build a store. They went to court and the city backtracked. But yeah no one wants to live next to a Costco due the traffic.
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Re: Sam's Club to focus Member's Mark on sustainability

Post by Alpha8472 »

Costco usually caters to a higher income level and doesn't seem to bring in crime. A Walmart would bring in traffic, shoplifters, panhandlers, car burglars, muggers, and lower income people.

Costco closes early so there is usually no late night traffic or early morning traffic. Walmart has traffic and crowds early and late.

Most cities would welcome a Costco. The alternative would be Walmart.
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