ABILENE, Texas, July 9, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Sam's Club will open a new club at 5550 South Clack St. in Abilene on Thursday, July 11, providing members with several expanded benefits and incredible savings on quality merchandise. Sam's Club has served the Abilene community since 1988, moving from its former location at 5301 S. 1st St.
"Sam's Club is committed to growing with the Abilene community, so this is a very special day," said club manager Nate Hobart. "We're going to be able to offer local businesses and families more products, services, savings and convenience than ever before."
The grand opening ceremony will take place at 8 a.m., Thursday, July 11. Local dignitaries, including Mayor Norm Archibald and the Abilene Chamber of Commerce Redcoat Committee, will be in attendance. The celebration will include a ribbon-cutting ceremony by Chamber members, joined by 16 Sam's Club associates who have been with the club for more than 20 years. In addition, former NFL linebacker and defensive end Charles Haley, who helped lead the Dallas Cowboys to Super Bowl championships in 1992, 1993 and 1995, will be at the club to sign autographs from 2-4:30 p.m. on Thursday.
Club to Employ 35 New Associates
The newly relocated Abilene Sam's Club brings new jobs with career opportunities to Abilene, and surrounding communities, employing more than 200 associates. The relocation adds 30 new jobs to the area.
"In addition to bringing convenience and savings to the area, Sam's Club makes job creation a priority," Hobart said. "Our entire team of associates – new and old – played an instrumental role in getting us to opening day."
Special Grand Opening Prices
As a part of the Grand Opening, Sam's Club will offer special savings* on a number of outstanding items Thursday, July 11, through Sunday, July 14, including:
- A Vizio® 60-inch Class LED HDTV for $888.
- Magnavox® 32-inch Class LED HDTV for $239.88.
- Fujifilm® S8200 Bundle for $249.88.
- Fresh beef Ribeye steak for $7.98 per pound.
- SIMPLY RIGHT™ 150-count Triple Strength Fish Oil for $13.98.
- Absolutely World Class barbecue sauce – a local product – 26.5-ounce bottle for $3.46.
Environmentally Friendly Building and Features
As a steward of the communities it serves, Sam's Club utilizes a variety of environmentally friendly materials and energy-efficient fixtures, including daylight-harvesting skylights that reduce the amount of energy required to light the store by up to 75 percent daily. LED lighting throughout the club, including in the cooler and freezer box doors and jewelry counter, operates 70 percent more efficiently than traditional fluorescent lighting.
Bright Atmosphere and Hearing Center among Added Amenities
The new Sam's Club features a shopper-friendly interior layout and measures approximately 136,000 square feet. That's big enough to fit the Abilene High School football field inside, with enough products to have a celebration for the whole school.
The new club will also debut a Sam's Club Hearing Aid Center, offering premium technology in hearing aid and personal listening devices alongside the care of a certified audiologist. The club will also provide an Optical Center with associated services and supply in-club Wi-Fi to members. Also, both members and non-members can download the Sam's Club application to their Apple, Android or BlackBerry. When you visit SamsClub.com on your phone, it automatically simplifies the site to make it easier for you to shop, check eValues, browse recipes, make shopping lists and learn about the latest events in the Abilene club.
Free Health Screenings During Grand Opening
Other health and wellness benefits include the Sam's Club pharmacy, open to members and the public, featuring $4 and $10 on many generic prescriptions and extraordinary savings on branded prescriptions. Sam's Club will offer free health screenings as a part of the grand opening, and also offers free monthly health screenings to help members take charge of their health through preventative measures.
Name Brands, Expansive Selections Await Members
Busy families can rely on fresh produce, quality meats and home meal solutions from Sam's Club. Local business owners have convenient access to friendly prices on office supplies, vending machine snacks and paper goods to ensure their long term success. Additional benefits for small business owners include early shopping hours, quick shopping through Click 'n' Pull®, an online ordering service where members can order by 5pm online and pick up their order the next day, truck load savings, and access to quality items most often used by foodservice businesses, restaurant owners and caterers.
Members can also save on name-brand items, including men's and women's Nike running shoes, Nike basketball shorts and mesh shirts, Miss Me jeans, Life is Good t-shirts, Under Armour tech t-shirts, and a number of name-brand fragrances and accessories, including Tag Heuer, Vera Bradley, Giorgio Armani, Calvin Klein and Ralph Lauren.
Support for Abilene, Local Charities
Sam's Club has a longstanding commitment to give back to the communities it serves. In that spirit, associates at the newly relocated Abilene Sam's Club selected several local organizations to receive a combined $10,000 in grants through the Sam's Club Giving Program. Grants being presented during the grand opening ceremony include American Cancer Society, Noah Project, Wylie Bulldog Education Foundation, Abilene's Boys and Girls Club, West TX Rehab, Habitat for Humanity and Abilene ISD Education Foundation.
Celebrity Appearance on Saturday
As part of the continuing grand opening celebration, former Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Drew "Mr. Clutch" Pearson will be signing autographs at 3 p.m. Saturday, July 13, at the Abilene Sam's Club. Pearson played for the Cowboys from 1973 to 1983, and helped the team to three Super Bowls, including a championship in 1978. He's best remembered for his "Hail Mary" touchdown reception from Roger Staubach in a playoff game against the Minnesota Vikings on Dec. 28, 1975.
About Sam's Club
Sam's Club, a division of Wal−Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT), is the nation's eighth largest retailer and a leading membership warehouse club offering superior products and services to more than 47 million members in clubs across the U.S., as well as in Brazil, China and Mexico. To learn more about Sam's Club, visit SamsClub.com, and look for Sam's Club on Twitter, Facebook and on mobile and iPad apps.
*Sam's Club Advertised Merchandise Policy – It is our firm intention to have every advertised item in stock. Occasionally, however, an advertised item may not be available for purchase due to unforeseen difficulties. We reserve the right to limit quantities to normal retail purchases or one-per-Member or household, and to exclude resellers. Items and prices are good only at your Abilene location. We have done our best to ensure all information in this piece is accurate and up-to-date. Errors and omissions occasionally occur and are subject to correction. Pricing and item availability may vary in Alaska, Hawaii, Oklahoma, Puerto Rico, Wisconsin, and on SamsClub.com. Pricing good on Thursday, July 11, through Sunday, July 14 only at your new Abilene Sam's Club.
SOURCE Sam's Club