Walmart shut down its Sam’s Club Business Center pilot program late last week — and closed the program’s only store — the Sam’s Club at Dunvale and Westheimer. The HBJ‘s Casey Wooten surveys the wreckage:
[Walmart spokesperson Susan] Koehler attributes the poor performance of the Dunvale Sam’s Club to its location. In April 2008 when the concept was unveiled, however, the company touted its proximity to major commercial centers on Houston’s west side as a reason it was selected to be the test store for the business center concept. . . .
Lance Gilliam, managing director at Moody Rambin Interests, who has worked with real estate clients in that area, says the Dunvale/Westheimer intersection is one of the busiest areas of the city, boasting heavy traffic and a dense daytime population, largely thanks to the Walmart, Sam’s Club and AMC Theatres that were built around the same time.
“It used to be considered a no man’s land, but once they located there, there were a lot of developments,†says Gilliam.
Now, development in the area may make it difficult for Wal-Mart to find a use for the building, says Gilliam.
- Dunvale store demise slams door on Sam’s Club concept [Houston Business Journal]
- Sam’s Club mum on local layoffs [Houston Business Journal]
Photo: Walmart
