Sam’s Club Stores Quietly Closing Across the Country

On the same day Walmart announced it was raising hourly wages, the company also closed several Sam’s Clubs across the country.

Some of the 63 Sam’s Clubs Walmart plans to close were shuttered Thursday without notice. Three of those closed are in the Houston area, and customers there told 11Alive.com that there were signs posted on the gas pumps and the front door.

“I’m surprised they didn’t tell anybody anything,” one customer told 11Alive.com.

“It’s kind of disappointing because Sam’s is a good store,” another added.

Several customers took to Twitter, where Walmart has been answering questions.

“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,” Sam’s Club said in one statement. “Closing clubs is never easy and we’re committed to working with impacted members and associates through this transition.”

The company also told others concerned about the employees that it will “provide support and resources to those associates who are affected, including the bonus announced today and 60 days of pay, as well as severance to those eligible.”

Other customers asked if the pharmacies would re-open.

According to Business Insider, Sam’s Club didn’t say how many employees the closures will impact. However, each locations employs about 175 people, which means that 11,000 people could get pink slips.

Ten of the stores will turn into e-commerce distribution centers. Others will stay open for a few weeks before closing for good. KENS 5 in San Antonio reported that a store there will be open until Jan. 26 and will be selling most of remaining stock for 25 percent off.

News of the sudden closures came on the same day Walmart announced it would raise starting salary at Walmart stores from $9 to $11 an hour. It will also hand out one-time bonuses to full and part-time employees. Workers with a least 20 years at the company are eligible for a $1,000 bonus.

Here’s the full list of Sam’s Clubs closing:

• 8801 Old Seward Hwy, Anchorage, AK 99515

• 1074 N Muldoon Rd, Anchorage, AK 99504

• 48 College Rd, Fairbanks, AK 99701

• 3900 Grants Mill Rd, Irondale, AL 35210

• 2425 E Florence Blvd, Casa Grande, AZ 85194

• 5757 E State Route 69, Prescott Valley, AZ 86314

• 1375 S Arizona Ave, Chandler, AZ 85286

• 15255 N Northsight Blvd, Scottsdale, AZ 85260

• 3360 El Camino Ave, Sacramento, CA 95821

• 17835 Gale Ave, City of Industry, CA 91748

• 12540 Beach Blvd, Stanton, CA 90680

• 12920 Foothill Blvd, Sylmar, CA 91342

• 69 Pavilions Dr, Manchester, CT 06042

• 2 Boston Post Rd, Orange, CT 06477

• 355 FL-436, Fern Park, FL 32730

• 7233 N Seacrest Blvd, Lantana, FL 33462

• 5135 S Dale Mabry Hwy, Tampa, FL 33611

• 2994 Turner Hill Rd, Lithonia, GA 30038

• 501 N Randall Rd, Batavia, IL 60510

• 21430 S Cicero Ave, Matteson, IL 60443

• 6600 44th Ave, Moline, IL 61265

• 808 S Illinois Rte 59, Naperville, IL 60540

• 900 S Barrington Rd, Streamwood, IL 60107

• 1055 McHenry Rd, Wheeling, IL 60090

• 460 S Weber Rd, Romeoville, IL 60446

• 3015 W 86th St, Indianapolis, IN 46268

• 10859 E Washington St, Indianapolis, IN 46229

• 4024 Elkhart Rd #1, Goshen, IN 46526

• 9598 Cortana Pl, Baton Rouge, LA 70815

• 9750 Reisterstown Rd, Owings Mills, MD 21117

• 1 Tobias Boland Way, Worcester, MA 01607

• 340 E. Edgewood Boulevard, Lansing, MI 48911

• 32625 Northwestern Hwy, Farmington Hills, MI 48334

• 3745 Louisiana Ave S, St Louis Park, MN 55426

• 2800 27th Ave S, Moorhead, MN 56560

• 11 Batchelder Rd, Seabrook, NH 03874

• 81 International Dr S, Budd Lake, NJ 07828

• 1900 E Linden Ave, Linden, NJ 07036

• 301 Nassau Park Boulevard, Princeton, NJ 08540

• 2649 Erie Blvd E, Syracuse, NY 13224

• 720 Fairmount Ave, Jamestown, NY 14701

• 700 Elmridge Center Dr, Rochester, NY 14626

• 1600 Marketplace Dr, Rochester, NY 14623

• 5085 Dawn Dr, Lumberton, NC 28360

• 1101 Shiloh Glenn Dr, Morrisville, NC 27560

• 4825 Marburg Ave, Cincinnati, OH 45209

• 9570 Fields Ertel Rd, Loveland, OH 45140

• 1145 Carr 2, Bo Florida Afuera, Barceloneta, 00617, Puerto Rico

• Carr 830, Bayamón, Puerto Rico, 00957

• Carr 3 Km 82 Bo Junquitos, Humacao, 00741, Puerto Rico

• 615 Old Hickory Blvd, Nashville, TN 37209

• 1805 Getwell Rd, Memphis, TN 38111

• 1615 S Loop W, Houston, TX 77054

• 13331 Westheimer Rd, Houston, TX 77077

• 22296 Market Place Dr, New Caney, TX 77357

• 12919 San Pedro Ave, San Antonio, TX 78216

• 741 E Little Creek Rd, Norfolk, VA 23518

• 4571 S Laburnum Ave, Richmond, VA 23231

• 901 S Grady Way, Renton, WA 98057

• 1101 Outlet Collection Way, Auburn, WA 98001

• 7050 Watts Rd, Madison, WI 53719

• 1540 S 108th St, West Allis, WI 53214

• 13550 Aurora Ave N, Seattle, WA 98133

Photo credit: Scott Olson/Getty Images