Sam's Club History Timeline
Transforming the Membership Model
The year was 1983. Cyndi Lauper, Pat Benatar and David Bowie were blasting on boomboxes across the country. And in Midwest City, Oklahoma, Sam’s Club was born. Mr. Sam’s goal with the club – which he called his “experiment” – was to help other entrepreneurs buy the products and services they needed to make their small businesses succeed. Forty years later, the Midwest City club is still serving its community, along with nearly 600 others across the country and Puerto Rico – and 30 more to come over the next few years.
You could say it’s been a successful experiment.
1980s
1990s
2000s
2010s
2020s
The 1980s:
Rallying the Membership Mavericks
Sam Walton enlists Rob Voss, Dick Palmer, Mike Villines, and Clyde Hulett - the four original Sam's “mavericks” - to make the move from Walmart and launch Sam's Club.
“If you've never been in [a Sam's Club], they're a lot of fun to shop, and the people who work there are a little crazy. Like the old days at Wal-Mart, they're liable to do anything on a moment's notice to move the merchandise.” - Sam Walton, Made in America
1983
The first Club opens in Midwest City, Oklahoma, on April 7, with longtime Walmart executive Ron Loveless as Sam's Club's first president.
The Sam's Club hot dog cart makes its debut.
1986
Sam's Club transitions from its original "cash and carry" model and begins accepting credit cards.
1987
Sam's Club starts offering product demos in its 49 Clubs. In the same year, Sam's Club signs its one millionth wholesale member; to celebrate the milestone, each Sam's Club location presents a representative "one millionth member" with a complimentary turkey.
1988
Sam's Club News airs during Walmart TV Studio's inaugural broadcast with Mr. Sam and David Glass in 1988.
The same year Sam's Club sees a 62% increase in sales, reaching $2.7 billion in sales across its 84 Clubs.
Sam's Clubs adds fuel stations. The pumps are only available to members, and the price for fuel is only found inside the club, not advertised on the street.
The 1990s:
Expanding the Membership Model
Expansion is the name of the game, with Sam's Club's first international clubs, the launch of its first website and the introduction of private brand(s).
1991
Sam's Club expands beyond the U.S. opening its first location in Mexico City in 1991 followed by China in 1996.
1993
The first Sam's Clubs open in Puerto Rico and Hawaii. By the end of the fiscal year, Sam's Club reaches $12.3 billion in sales.
1994
Sam's acquires 91 Pace Clubs from Kmart, reaching a fleet of 428 clubs by the end of the fiscal year.
1996
Samsclub.com launches, originally selling around 1,800 products that weren't available in clubs. This was the start of what Walmart originally called "non-store" retailing.
1997
Sam's Club Cafe debuts. Today, Sam's Club sells more than 100 million slices of pizza a year at its cafe.
1998
Private brand, Member's Mark, makes its debut, offering members a quality alternative to name brands.
1999
Sam's Club introduces Plus memberships, offering member added benefits including early shopping, free shipping, Sam's Cash and select prescription savings.
Sam's Club starts selling Rotisserie chickens, igniting the trend of “homemade store bought rotisserie chicken.” Today, almost one-third of members who shop our clubs purchase at least one rotisserie chicken.
The 2000s:
Embracing the Digital Age
As the internet, computers, and cell phones change the way people shop, Sam's Club increases its digital footprint - and commits to reducing its ecological one.
2000
“Click ‘n’ Pull” option is added to Samsclub.com, allowing members to make online purchases and pick them up at the Club. No internet? Not a problem. A “Fax ‘n’ Pull” option also becomes available.
2002
Sam's Club reaches 500 clubs.
2004
Sam's Club utilizes RFID technology, in addition to barcodes, to further streamline stock management.
2005
Hurricane Katrina devastates the Gulf Coast, and Sam's Club and Walmart respond immediately, dispatching more than 2,450 Walmart truckloads of supplies, water, food and clothing to communities throughout the Gulf States and Texas.
Doug McMillon is named President and CEO of Sam's Club.
2007
As a step toward its goal of being supplied by 100 percent renewable energy. Walmart announces a solar power pilot in select Wal-Mart stores, Sam’s Clubs and distribution centers.
The 2010s:
Going Back to Go Forward
Sam's Club returns to its roots, reprioritizing the successful "basics" of its warehouse model, before taking a deeper dive into tech.
2013
Sam’s Club total sales surpass $50 billion, with items like Blu-Ray players, baby wipes, frozen Tilapia fillets and bananas as top sellers. In fact, Sam’s Club sold more than 56 million 3-lb bags of bananas in 2013!
2016
Scan & Go launches, changing the game as more members opt to shop, scan, pay, show and go.
2017
John Furner is named Sam’s Club President and CEO and begins a campaign to modernize clubs while reprioritizing the “basics” of the original warehouse model. Sam’s Club reaches 655 clubs by the end of the fiscal year.
2018
Sam's Club partners with Instacart, allowing members to fill their virtual carts and enjoy same-day delivery in as little as an hour.
2019
Sam’s Club partners with several healthcare companies to launch the Sam’s Club Care Accelerator Together with Humana, an innovative pilot program that allows members to save money on their most common healthcare service needs.
In that same year, Kath McLay is named President and CEO.
The 2020s:
Tech Meets Convenience
Automation, AI and other game-changing advances allow Sam's Club associates to lean into what they do best: taking care of members.
2020
As the Covid-19 pandemic disrupts the world, Sam’s Club responds with Concierge Service for seniors and high-risk members as well as Hero Hours for healthcare workers and first responders.
2021
Playing in the Big Game: Sam’s Club runs first Super Bowl commercial, with Kevin Hart showing fans and members what it takes to be a Sam’s Club VIP.
2022
Sam’s Club launches Sam’s Cash, digital currency members can earn, spend in clubs and online, apply to membership costs and even cash out.
Sam's Club drops the price of its hot dog combo to a market-leading $1.38. In the quarter after the price drop, Sam’s Club sells enough hot dogs for the entire population of Kansas City to have 15 each.
Sam’s Club holds its first annual company-wide Day of Service, with more than 6,000 associates contributing almost 15,000 volunteer hours in one day.
Member’s Mark relaunches as a more sustainable, purpose-driven brand “made with the member and the planet in mind.”
2023
Sam’s Club rings in the big 4-0 – literally. To mark the anniversary, CEO Kath McLay and members of Sam’s Club leadership made their way to Manhattan to ring the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange, with three associates from nearby clubs joining them at the podium and leading the trading room floor in the Sam’s Club Cheer.
Forty years after the first club opened in Midwest City, Oklahoma, Sam’s Club reaches $84 billion in sales at nearly 600 locations operating in the U.S. – and rolls out plans for 30 more to come over the next few years.
Sam's Club debuts Member Access Platform (MAP), real-time intelligent retargeting designed to make advertising campaigns smarter, more effective and more personalized.
Sam's Club deploys ARC Device Lockers nationwide, providing a centralized, tech-enabled management system to keep company-owned handheld devices charged, protected, and fully functional.
In September of that same year, Chris Nicholas, former chief operating officer of Walmart U.S., steps in as CEO of Sam's Club.
