Club’s impact seen in 170 new jobs and $21,000 in charitable donations

Creating 170 new jobs and focusing on charitable support and every day low costs, the new SAM’S CLUB in Chandler will celebrate its grand opening at 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, June 30. Doors will open at 10 a.m. The club is located at 1375 S. Arizona Ave.

Club features

With more than 135,000 square feet, the Chandler SAM’S CLUB will feature several departments, including a tire mounting area, 1-hour photo, bakery, optical, café, fresh meat, pharmacy, floral, gasoline station and an extensive line of frozen foods and fresh produce. Consumers will find consistent savings on more than 4,000 items from daily household supplies and office equipment to luxury products and brand-name merchandise, including Polo Ralph Lauren, Sony, Waterford, Louis Vuitton and many others. The club is also complete with an extensive inventory of house wares, food, electronics and upscale jewelry.

Grand opening activities

A special ribbon cutting ceremony and grant presentation will commence at 9:30 a.m. Becky Jackson, President and CEO of the Chandler Chamber of Commerce will address the crowd including grant recipients, Chandler Police Officers and more than 170 club associates. Checks will also be presented to representatives of several charitable organizations during the ceremony.

Charitable giving

The club will announce $21,000 in donations through SAM’S CLUB’s Good Works community involvement program to a number of organizations. The club will also have a budget to give donations away locally throughout the year. Organizations interested in receiving funding can contact the club for details.

Groups receiving donations upon the club’s opening include:

• Boys & Girls Clubs of the East Valley
• Mesa United Way
• ICAN-Improving Chandler Area Neighborhoods
• Catholic Social Service of Central and Northern Arizona
• Chandler Horizon Rotary Foundation
• Kyrene De La Paloma PTA
• Child Crisis Center – East Valley Inc.
• Valley of the Sun YMCA
• Royal Family Kids Camp Inc.
• Habitat for Humanity – Valley of the Sun
• Chandler-Gilbert ARC
• Boys and Girls Club of the East Valley
• Hamilton High School football team
• Mesa Community Action Network, Inc.
• Positive Impact Inc.
• Arizona Project Challenge Foundation
• United Food Bank
• Chandler High School football team
• City of Chandler Fire Department
• City of Chandler Police Department – Neighborhood Services
• Basha High School Touchdown Club

In 2004, SAM’S CLUB and Wal-Mart Stores gave $3,305,390 to local causes and organizations in the communities they serve in the state of Arizona. In addition, many charities and organizations received in- kind donations and additional funds raised through stores, clubs and distribution centers in the amount of $1,578,572, for a grand total of $4,883,962 contributed through Wal-Mart’s presence across the state.

SAM’S CLUB helps small businesses

On SAM’S CLUB’s Web site, www.samsclub.com, small business owners throughout the Chandler area can view the new Small Business Confidence Index, which contains research from owners and operators of local businesses – such as offices, child care, schools, restaurants, motels, vending companies, churches, contractors and beauty shops – that will all play an integral part in the success of this new SAM’S CLUB location in Chandler.

“Small businesses are important to us because they are the backbone and engine of our economy,” said John Shihady, general manager. “By offering quality brands and additional benefits at Every Day Low Cost, we will help small businesses in Chandler to succeed.”

SAM’S CLUB provides a range of additional small business services and benefits that help entrepreneurs increase productivity and profitability, including:

• Gold Key hours that reserve the entire club exclusively for business members to shop before normal operating hours.
• Business services, including payroll, insurance, and retirement planning that simplify administration and financial management tasks.
• Click ‘n’ Pull and Fax ‘n’ Pull is express ordering that allows members to order online at samsclub.com or place their orders via fax. Orders placed by 5 p.m. will be pulled and ready for pickup by 7 a.m. the following day. This added service provides members convenience and is used largely by business members as a timesavings benefit.

SAM’S CLUB and Wal-Mart in Arizona EDITOR’S NOTE: See www.walmartfacts.com for more information about SAM’S CLUB and Wal-Mart in Arizona.

As of June 15, 2005, Wal-Mart employed 27,517 associates and owned and operated the following facilities in the state of Arizona:

• Supercenters: 36
• Discount Stores: 17
• Neighborhood Markets: 7
• SAM’S CLUBS: 11
• Distribution Centers: 3

In the last fiscal year, Wal-Mart collected on behalf of the state of Arizona more than $248 million in sales taxes and paid more than $30.6 million in state and local taxes.

In 2004, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. spent $1,479,820,517 for merchandise and services with 939 suppliers in the state of Arizona. As a result of Wal-Mart’s relationship with these suppliers, Wal-Mart supports 41,675 supplier jobs in the state of Arizona.

About SAM’S CLUB

SAM’S CLUB (www.samsclub.com), a division of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., is the nation’s largest warehouse chain in the United States serving small business owners and operators. The purchasing agent of choice, SAM’S CLUB provides every day low cost to more than 46 million entrepreneurs and consumers.

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. operates Wal-Mart Stores, Supercenters, Neighborhood Markets and SAM’S CLUB locations in the United States. Internationally, the company operates in Argentina, Brazil, Canada, China, Germany, Japan, Mexico, Puerto Rico, South Korea and the United Kingdom. The company’s securities are listed on the New York and Pacific stock exchanges under the symbol WMT. More information about Wal-Mart can be found by visiting www.walmartfacts.com. Online merchandise sales are available at www.walmart.com.

EDITOR’S NOTES

SAM’S CLUB employees are called associates.

John Shihady, general manager, can provide details about the grand opening, offer quotes for interviews and arrange for photo opportunities or preview tours. He can be contacted at 480- 726-9383.

FACT SHEET

Chandler SAM’S CLUB Club fast facts

* Club location: 250 S. Arizona Ave., Chandler, Ariz.
* 135,000-square-foot location
* Club opening 10 a.m., Thursday, June 30; 9:30 a.m. grand opening ceremony
* General manager: John Shihady, 480-726-9383 Club features
* Departments include a tire mounting area, 1-hour photo, bakery, optical, café, fresh meat, pharmacy, floral, gasoline station and an extensive line of frozen foods and fresh produce
* Extensive inventory of house wares, food, electronics and upscale jewelry
* Regular club hours are Monday through Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.; Saturday, 9:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.; and Sunday, 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
* Gold Key Hours for business members are 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. Monday through Friday, and 7:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. Saturday Employment
* Total employment is 170 Charitable giving $21,000 in charitable contributions to 20 area organizations:
* Mesa United Way
* ICAN-Improving Chandler Area Neighborhoods
* Catholic Social Service of Central and Northern Arizona
* Chandler Horizon Rotary Foundation
* Kyrene De La Paloma PTA
* Child Crisis Center – East Valley Inc.
* Valley of the Sun YMCA
* Royal Family Kids Camp Inc.
* Habitat for Humanity – Valley of the Sun
* Chandler-Gilbert ARC
* Boys and Girls Club of the East Valley
* Hamilton High School football team
* Mesa Community Action Network, Inc.
* Positive Impact Inc.
* Arizona Project Challenge Foundation
* United Food Bank
* Chandler High School football team
* City of Chandler Fire Department
* City of Chandler Police Department – Neighborhood Services
* Basha High School Touchdown Club SAM’S CLUB Corporate Facts
* First SAM’S CLUB opened in 1983 in Midwest City, OK
* 555 SAM’S CLUB locations in the U.S.
* 93 International locations: Puerto Rico – 9; Mexico – 62; Canada – 6; Brazil – 13; China – 3
* 100,000 SAM’S CLUB associates in the U.S.

For more information
* Media contact: Melissa Stoloff, 602-416-3608, mstoloff@eblane.com
* Official spokesperson: Delia Garcia, Wal-Mart corporate affairs (local contact), 602-241-8560, delia.garcia@wal-mart.com
* SAM’S CLUB Home Office spokesperson, Olan James, 479-277-7253, olan.james@samsclub.com
* SAM’S CLUB information online: www.walmartfacts.com; merchandise sales: www.samsclub.com

# # #