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A warehouse club is a retail store, usually selling a limited variety of merchandise, in which customers pay annual membership fees in order to shop. The clubs are able to keep prices low due to the no-frills format of the stores. The concept of warehouse clubs first began in the United States.
Sol Price founded Fed-Mart in 1954 as the first warehouse club. Price opened Price Club in San Diego in 1976 after the closing of Fed-Mart. In 1983, Costco Wholesale and PACE Wholesale Club started operations. Wal-Mart opened the Sam's Club (then known as Sam's Wholesale Club) in 1983, the same year as BJ's Wholesale Club. Target also opened a short-lived operation, known as the Wholesale Club. By 1984 ten warehouse club chains were in operation.
Today three warehouse club chains operate in the U.S. Costco and Sam's Club are the largest chains. Sam's Club claims a membership base of 46 million persons and 500 stores across the U.S. * Costco has locations in seven other nations including Japan, Korea, Taiwan and the United Kingdom. BJ's Wholesale Club is the smaller competitor with stores located primarily in the Northeastern United States. In 2003, BJ's was the subject of takeover rumors involving Sam's Club.
In 2006, there are approximately 3,400 warehouse clubs and superstores in the United States, accounting for $191 billion, according to the 2006 U.S. Industry & Market Outlook by Barnes Reports.
Alcohol Sales Without a Membership
In the following US states warehouse clubs are required to sell alcohol to non-members at member prices: Arizona, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Indiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Texas and Vermont (*)
List of warehouse clubs (In Order of annual Sales)
"Warehouse club"