Sam's Club goes big with plans to open dozens of new US stores that are nearly 20% larger

• Sam's Club is opening 30 new warehouses across the United States in the next five to seven years.
• The Walmart-owned company hasn't opened a new store since 2017, when it debuted one in Pennsylvania.

Sam's Club is planning to open 30 stores in the next five to seven years — and they're going to be a lot bigger than the current average warehouse.

The Walmart-owned company announced Thursday that it will be expanding its physical footprint across the United States, with the first new store opening in Florida in 2024. A Sam's Club spokesperson declined to say where the other stores will open.

The company will also launch five new supply-chain and fulfillment centers nationwide this year, with the first of those opening up in Georgia in the third quarter.

The decision to expand comes as Sam's Club membership numbers have continued to reach record heights, fueled by the pandemic.

"We've seen remarkable growth over the past few years with a record number of members, and we're excited to bring the experience of Sam's Club to even more markets as we expand our footprint," Sam's Club CEO Kathryn McLay said in a statement. "And as we open new clubs in new locations, we'll continue to innovate so that our members shop and save whether in person or online."

The new warehouses will be about 160,000 square feet. That's about 18% larger than Sam's Club's approximately 600 current warehouses, which average 136,000 square feet. For context, the average Costco warehouse is 146,000 square feet, and BJ's Wholesale Club stores range in size from 63,000 square feet to 163,000 square feet.

The additional 30 stores will be larger because of new features, including seafood and sushi islands, walk-in dairy and fresh coolers, bigger healthcare spaces, more spacious break-room areas for employees, and more space for curbside pickup.

Sam's Club hasn't opened a new store since 2017, when it debuted a warehouse in Hanover, Pennsylvania. In 2018, the company shuttered 63 stores.