Sam's Club Closes Abruptly In Owings Mills: Report

OWINGS MILLS, MD — Sam's Club in Owings Mills has shuttered, resulting in the loss of nearly 200 jobs, Baltimore County Executive Kevin Kamenetz announced on Thursday. Kamenetz said the county would assist those seeking work after the abrupt closure of the retail warehouse.

Sam's Club, located at 9750 Reisterstown Road in Owings Mills, employed 169 people, according to the county executive.

Kamenetz, a Democrat running for the Maryland gubernatorial nomination, pointed the finger at the President of the United States in a statement issued at noon on Thursday.

"Donald Trump promised us that giving 100s of billions in tax cuts to big businesses would grow the economy. He lied again," Kamenetz said. "I am reaching out to Walmart this morning to make sure they live up to their responsibilities to assist employees at Sam’s Club who have worked hard to benefit the company. The County will also provide assistance in securing jobs for these hard working people to keep them from the unemployment line."

Walmart is the parent company of Sam's Club.

A call to the Sam's Club in Owings Mills confirmed the closure. Here is the message that Patch received upon calling:

Sam's Club closed 63 stores nationwide and said that up to 12 would be converted into e-commerce fulfillment centers to speed up the delivery of online orders. The first of those centers will be in Memphis, Tennessee.

Company officials said that 597 Sam's Club stores remain open and operational.

The store in Owings Mills was the only one in Baltimore County to shutter. Other locations in Catonsville, Rosedale and Timonium remain open.

The president of Sam's Club said in a statement to Patch that the decision to close 63 stores came after a thorough review.

"Transforming our business means managing our real estate portfolio, and Walmart needs a strong fleet of Sam’s Clubs that are fit for the future,” John Furner, president and CEO of Sam’s Club, said in statement. “We know this is difficult news for our associates, and we are working to place as many of them as possible at nearby locations."

According to Sam's Club, associates who were affected by the closures will be given a bonus, 60 days of pay and resources from parent company Walmart. Severance packages will be available to those who qualified, officials said.

“We need great people to help lead us into the future, and we hope that many of them will stay with the company at either a local store or club,” Furner said. “Change is never easy, but we’re making these decisions as part of running a healthy business.”

Sam's Club stores in New Jersey and Connecticut were among those that closed abruptly on Thursday. Locations in Ohio, Tennessee and Texas also appeared to have shut their doors for good Thursday morning, WCPO Cincinnati reported.

The company plans to provide more information as part of its quarterly results, which are set for release on Feb. 20, 2018.

Image via Shutterstock.