Business

Sam’s Club closes 63 stores, but South Florida members won’t notice a difference

By Howard Cohen

January 12, 2018 11:39 AM

Walmart announced the closing of 63 Sam’s Club stores nationwide, including stores in Orlando and Tampa. South Florida locations were not affected in the Jan. 11, 2018, announcement.
Walmart announced the closing of 63 Sam’s Club stores nationwide, including stores in Orlando and Tampa. South Florida locations were not affected in the Jan. 11, 2018, announcement. Danny Johnston AP
Walmart announced the closing of 63 Sam’s Club stores nationwide, including stores in Orlando and Tampa. South Florida locations were not affected in the Jan. 11, 2018, announcement. Danny Johnston AP

The Sam’s Club shrinkage includes two Florida stores but, for now, South Florida customers and employees of the warehouse chain run by Walmart will see business as usual.

On Thursday, the same day Walmart said it was raising its employees’ salaries to $11-an-hour, citing the Republican tax reform bill as a catalyst, the corporation announced it was closing 63 Sam’s Club stores nationwide.

Two stores in Florida — in Tampa and Orlando — are among the casualties.

But the ones in Miami, Miramar, Sunrise, Coral Springs and West Palm Beach remain open for business.

Sam’s Club employees and its customers were not given advance notice of the cutbacks. Some of the stores will be repurposed into e-commerce distribution sites.

Florida’s two closures put the state in the midrange. Some states are losing more branches. Illinois loses the most locations at six. Four Sam’s Club outlets in New York, Texas and California will also close.

Tennessee, Alabama, Louisiana, Maryland and Michigan lose only one.

Howard Cohen: 305-376-3619, @HowardCohen

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