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MARLBOROUGH, Mass. — BJ’s Wholesale Club recently announced locations for new warehouse clubs in five cities in the Midwest and Southeast. The openings are the latest in an expansionary wave that will put the warehouse club operator into its 21st state in early 2025.
BJ’s previously revealed that it was planning 12 news clubs and 15 gas stations this fiscal year.
“BJ’s combination of unbeatable value and convenience continues to resonate with members, and we’re pleased with the performance of our new clubs,” Bill Werner, executive vice president for strategy and development at BJ’s, said last month in announcing the latest locations. “Our real estate pipeline is the strongest it’s been in 20 years, and we look forward to helping even more families save up to 25% off grocery store prices as we add clubs to both new and existing markets.”
BJ’s newest locations are:
• Maryville, Tenn., in the Knoxville market. This will be BJ’s fourth location in Tennessee.
• Myrtle Beach, S.C., the company’s second club in South Carolina.
• Palm Coast, Fla., and West Palm Beach, Fla., the company’s 38th and 39th clubs in Florida.
• Carmel, Ind., BJ’s second location in Indiana.
Also last month, the company unveiled plans to open its first club in Louisville, Ky. The planned entry into Kentucky will mark the retailer’s 21st state, following expansion in recent months that took the company into Alabama and Tennessee. Its 244th store — a 100,000-square-foot outlet in Goodlettsville, Tenn., opened in mid-February.
The new Louisville club will include a BJ’s gas station, providing club members with potential savings opportunities through the BJ’s Fuel Saver program.
BJ’s said it has been taking share at its gas stations, with fuel comps up nearly 3% in its third quarter on retail prices that were flat year over year.
“Industry volumes are still down double digits versus pre-pandemic levels, and our share gains are a testament to the value that members gain from our low-priced gas offering,” Robert Eddy, the company’s president and chief executive officer, said on BJ’s third quarter earnings call.
Members continue to rely on BJ’s for more of their grocery shopping, according to Eddy.
“We see this in our volume trends for key categories such as fresh produce, milk, paper and laundry, where units have trended up year over year for us, unlike the rest of the market,” he said.
Added Eddy, “Member loyalty is dictated by the quality of the experience we provide. As such, we are continually working to improve the member experience through our merchandising, digital and in-club conveniences and, of course, great value. Getting these elements right is crucial to our success.”
BJ’s touts a convenient one-stop shopping experience that includes a selection of fresh food, produce, a full-service deli, household essentials, pet supplies and other exclusive offerings.
The new clubs will aim to delight shoppers with a treasure-hunt experience by providing an assortment of both local and seasonal items, as well as home decor, apparel, toys and the latest in personal tech gadgets, the company said.
BJ’s said that as it expands its footprint, it continues to support the communities where its members and team members live and work. The company said it is driven by a strong purpose of “taking care of the families who depend on us.”
Through the BJ’s Charitable Foundation and its partnership with Feeding America, BJ’s has a long-standing commitment to providing healthy food to families in need.
A leading operator of warehouse clubs in the Eastern United States, BJ’s pioneered the warehouse club model in New England in 1984 and currently operates 244 clubs and 175 BJ’s Gas locations in 20 states.
