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New wholesale store opens doors in Billings

Posted: Jan 21, 2010 2:57 PM by Angela Douglas
Updated: Jan 21, 2010 2:57 PM

BILLINGS - Established in 1983, Sam's Club serves more than 47 million members in America and now Billings customers can be added to that list.

The club will employ nearly 200 associates at its location along King Avenue East next to Cabela's.

Come 8:30 Thursday morning, doors will open and Billings will have a brand new 136,000 square foot wholesale store.

Sam's Club had a soft opening Wednesday night, but club manager Cody Mitchell has his sights set on the morning.

"Big sales," Mitchell says witha smile. "Big sales, smiling faces, associates are here to take care of everyone and show them what Sam's Club is all about."

Billings resident Fred Rodda says he'll try and avoid the opening day crowds, but he's definitely a Sam's Club member.

"I moved here 14 years ago from Pennsylvania," Rodda explains, who's also a member at Costco. "When I lived in Pennsylvania I had a membership. This is the first available time to get one here in MT."

He's not the only one jumping on board with the new store. Mitchell says memberships have far surpassed their expectations.

"Memberships have been very pleasing," says Mitchell. "I can tell you that we're ahead of budget, we've exceeded it and everything we're putting on now is icing on the cake on where was planned to be."

The doors are opening in Billings but they've closed at ten different Sam's Club locations nationwide within the past year. So, why Billings?

"The growth pattern is great and we think it's time that we offer another option from a wholesale stand point and we're here to offer that option," Mitchell says.

Sam's Club is a business, so of course they're here to make a profit. But at the same time they're making a point to give back to the community that supports them."

"We were fortunate enough to get a check for $1,000," exclaims Habitat for Humanity's Kathleen O'Neal. "So we're excited about that!"

Sam's Club awarded nearly $40,000 in grants to local organizations Wednesday afternoon.

"We're also here to give back to the community and I hope that everybody approaches us when there's things that are needed or help needed," explains Mitchell.

O'Neal says the new stores actions speak loudly.

"I think it speaks really well about the community support in a lot of different areas," says O'Neal. "Which of course in return we'll want to support them as a business."

It's impossible to ignore the fact that Sam's Club is now entering a market that they're competitor, Costco, has monopolized for nearly 20 years. But Mitchell doesn't seem fazed by the competition.

"Bottom line, they're going to have items we don't have, we're going to have items they don't have," Mitchell says. "It's just going to be various options versus what everybody's maybe used to in the last 15 to 20 years, however long they've been here."

The Billings store is Sam's Club second store in the state. There is also a Sam's Club in Great Falls. Meanwhile, Costco has stores in five major Montana cities. Sam's Club will have longer hours on Saturday, opening their doors a half hour earlier at nine and closing them two and a half hours after Costco at 8:30 p.m.

For those of you wondering how the two stores differ in membership prices, here's what we found:

A basic membership at Costco will cost you $50, while Sam's Club charges $40.

Business members at Costco will also pay $50, with Sam's Club charging $35.

Both Costco and Sam's Club have the same rate for their top level membership of $100.

Sam's Club is the second store to make the new Town Square development its home.

Cabela's was the first business to open its doors there last spring.

Foursquare Properties based out of Carlsbad, California is developing the the 44-acre site.

A spokesperson for the company says it continues to work with several restaurants and retailers and hope to announce additional tenants in the near future.