SAM'S Club is shuttering a store in Texas after the location withstood significant storm damage.
The company announced the Grapevine, Texas store closure after it was badly damaged by a tornado in December.
When the tornado tore through Grapevine, five people were injured.
Many other businesses also saw significant damage in the town, including the Grapevine Mills Mall, Walmart, and Discount Tire.
While Sam’s Club has been closed since the storm, the company just gave official word this week that it will not reopen.
“After careful consideration and a thorough damage assessment, we have made the difficult business decision to close our Grapevine, Texas location that incurred extensive damage during the storm last December," Sam's Club said in a statement.
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"This decision aligns with the long-term growth strategy for our company.”
During the tornado, Sam’s Club saw its air conditioning units destroyed, and part of the roof completely fell off.
“When air conditioning units are flying through the air and not one of them landed on a car, a roof, or let alone a person -- it’s just amazing,” said Chuck Paschke, a nearby business owner, according to local station WFAA.
There are 23 other Sam’s Clubs operating in Texas.
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It is unclear what will happen to the warehouse space.
However, the retail giant said it has plans to open 30 new stores this year nationwide.
Altogether, the chain operates nearly 600 locations across the U.S. and Puerto Rico.
RETAIL APOCALYPSE
Many other retailers have experienced financial difficulties coming out of the pandemic, leading to hundreds of closures across the country.
Consumers have shifted their spending habits to favor online shopping, where large manufacturers can sell items straight to shoppers without any brick-and-mortar stores.
Over the next three years, Macy’s intends to close a total of 125 locations.
That will mean nearly a fifth of their U.S. stores will be gone by the end of 2023.
At the beginning of 2020, the department store operated 777 Macy's and Bloomingdale's storefronts. The goal now is to get closer to 650 stores.
The store closures will impact at least 18 different states across the nation.
Even retail giants like Walmart have struggled due to the changing dynamics.
Four new closures were announced in Chicago for the company, leaving many shoppers with one less place to find affordable groceries.
"The simplest explanation is that collectively our Chicago stores have not been profitable since we opened the first one nearly 17 years ago," Walmart said in a statement.
But that’s just the tip of the iceberg as Walmart looks to get rid of more underperforming stores.
An Everett, Washington Walmart will shutter on April 21 alongside locations in South Bend, Indiana, Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, and Honolulu, Hawaii.
SAM’S CLUB IN THE NEWS
While the closure in Grapevine is disappointing news for customers, Sam’s Club has been offering special deals all through this month.
In honor of the chain’s 40th birthday, customers will see huge savings including in-club events, exclusive café deals, over $100 in savings and rewards for members, plus one special deal for first-timers.
The company is offering first-time members a rare special - $10 memberships.
Other deals will be available on various items through Scan & Go checkout, Curbside Pickup, and Same-Day Delivery.
The store will also be adding thousands of electric vehicle chargers to its locations by 2030.
Sam’s Club's parent company Walmart already has almost 1,300 of these chargers available at more than 280 locations.
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The store is also warning customers of an automatic surcharge on specific orders.
Shoppers are rushing to grab a car seat at the retailer for a special deal.
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