Wal-Mart Closing All Sam's Clubs In Ontario
CityNews
If you belong to Sam's Club, get ready to turn in your membership.
The discount chain run by retail giant Wal-Mart will be closing all of its stores in Ontario in mid-March, so the company can concentrate on a more lucrative supercentre format.
Sam's Club offered consumers a chance to buy products in bulk or at a discount rate for a yearly membership fee. It leaves competitors like Costco behind, as the world's biggest retailer seeks to retool in tough economic times.
The mega-stores were opened with great fanfare in Pickering, Vaughan, Etobicoke and Richmond Hill locally, and outlets were also located in London and Cambridge. The company is talking to an unnamed retailer about buying all but the latter location, although it's not clear what would become of them if that deal goes through.
Wal-Mart Canada's David Cheesewright admits the Clubs - named after founder Sam Walton - never really met expectations and that became even more apparent once the economy turned.
What will replace them? Wal-Mart plans to open 26 new supercentres, which include a full grocery store in addition its usual line of selling everything from clothing to electronics. There will be 82 of them by the time the makeover is done.
Spokesman Andrew Pelletier tells City News.ca some existing stores will be expanded while others will be relocated - although which is which hasn't been determined yet. He stresses Sam Club's was only a small part of their business and insists it actually represents an expansion.
The retailer admits there will be job losses but will try to save as many of the 1,200 affected positions as possible. Many will be transferred to the new entities while others will be hired to work at the non-union vendor.
And what about those who paid their $45 or so to join for the discounts? Pelltier says those who want a refund will get one, while others who favour cross border shopping will be allowed to hold onto their cards, which will still be good in stores in the U.S.
CityNews
If you belong to Sam's Club, get ready to turn in your membership.
The discount chain run by retail giant Wal-Mart will be closing all of its stores in Ontario in mid-March, so the company can concentrate on a more lucrative supercentre format.
Sam's Club offered consumers a chance to buy products in bulk or at a discount rate for a yearly membership fee. It leaves competitors like Costco behind, as the world's biggest retailer seeks to retool in tough economic times.
The mega-stores were opened with great fanfare in Pickering, Vaughan, Etobicoke and Richmond Hill locally, and outlets were also located in London and Cambridge. The company is talking to an unnamed retailer about buying all but the latter location, although it's not clear what would become of them if that deal goes through.
Wal-Mart Canada's David Cheesewright admits the Clubs - named after founder Sam Walton - never really met expectations and that became even more apparent once the economy turned.
What will replace them? Wal-Mart plans to open 26 new supercentres, which include a full grocery store in addition its usual line of selling everything from clothing to electronics. There will be 82 of them by the time the makeover is done.
Spokesman Andrew Pelletier tells City News.ca some existing stores will be expanded while others will be relocated - although which is which hasn't been determined yet. He stresses Sam Club's was only a small part of their business and insists it actually represents an expansion.
The retailer admits there will be job losses but will try to save as many of the 1,200 affected positions as possible. Many will be transferred to the new entities while others will be hired to work at the non-union vendor.
And what about those who paid their $45 or so to join for the discounts? Pelltier says those who want a refund will get one, while others who favour cross border shopping will be allowed to hold onto their cards, which will still be good in stores in the U.S.
