The opening of a Sam’s Club announced today is great news for Springdale, a fast-growing city in terms of population that’s been anxious to build on its retail offerings.
Springdale Mayor Doug Spouse told a crowd of more than 175 people who attended today’s announcement at Arvest Ballpark that he’s excited about having Sam’s Club return to the city. The new store, which should employ about 175 people and open in the spring 2016, will be at Sunset Avenue and South 56th Street.
The Sam’s Club announcement could spur increased retail development in a western area of Springdale near Arvest Ballpark, the 7,500-seat minor-league baseball stadium that opened in April 2008. The area’s flat terrain and available land present a perfect opportunity for commercial development.
To accommodate that anticipated growth and to provide better traffic flow, Springdale plans to widen two-lane 56th Street between the Don Tyson Parkway and Sunset Avenue. The Don Tyson Parkway exit off Interstate 49 opened less than a month ago, making it easier for I-49 travelers to reach Arvest Ballpark.
“We are so excited Sam’s Club sees the value of doing business in our community,” Sprouse said. “The newly announced plans for retail development along 56th Street show that Springdale and the Don Tyson corridor are truly open for business.”
Retail offerings are already improving in the western area of Springdale near I-49 and Elm Springs Road. Macadoodle’s opened one of its big liquor stores in the area in 2011, and a Walmart Supercenter should open this fall.
Springdale had the region’s first Sam’s Club store, but it was relocated to Fayetteville in 2007. The new store is the third in the region; others operate in Bentonville and Fayetteville.
The new club location in Springdale will be approximately 136,000 square feet and will feature a wide variety of members-only amenities, including a fresh bakery, a tire and battery center, a café and a fuel station.
“Sam’s Club is thrilled to be coming to Springdale,” said Sam’s Club Market Manager Kurt Hess. “We are excited about offering our members a more convenient location and meeting the needs of small business owners in this growing business community.”