Closings of certain Sam's Club locations are having effects nationwide -- including here in Houston.
At least three area Sam's Clubs are not open for business today, according to the Houston Chronicle:
--13331 Westheimer in Houston.
--1615 S. Loop W in Houston.
--22296 Market Place Drive in the Valley Ranch Town Center in New Caney.
The pharmacy at all three locations will remain open, however, through Jan. 26, according to the newspaper.
Willowbrook store not closing
However, the Willowbrook location will remain open -- despite multiple media reports Thursday the store was closing. It is open, and has been "flooded with calls" from concerned customers, according to a person who identified herself as a department manager at the store. She said she was not authorized to give her name.
KTRH has reached out to the media department of the Sam's Club/Walmart corporate office for a listing of and details about closings, but has not received a response from the retail giant.
In a tweet Thursday, Sam's Club stated: "After a thorough review of our existing portfolio, we’ve decided to close a series of clubs and better align our locations with our strategy. Closing clubs is never easy and we’re committed to working with impacted members and associates through this transition."
Business Insider reports that 10 of the shuttered locations will be converted to e-commerce distribution centers.
"Walmart is abruptly closing 63 Sam's Club locations across the US," BI reported Thursday. "Some stores were closed on Thursday. Others will close at a later date. Many employees were not informed of the closures ahead of the time, according to reports."