INDIANAPOLIS (WTHR) - Hundreds of central Indiana workers are about to lose their jobs. On the same day Walmart announced pay raises and bonuses for its employees, the company said it would shut down, or convert, 63 Sam's Club stores.
Three of the stores are in Indiana. They include one in Goshen and two in Indianapolis - the stores on West 86th Street and East Washington Street.
Thursday afternoon, the parking lots at both stores were pretty much empty. At the east side store, one shopper after another pulled in, walked up and were told the store was closed Thursday and would close for good January 26.
An employee who greeted customers told one woman, "I don't know why. I wish I had a reason why. They kind of told us at the last minute. We will reopen tomorrow at 10. We're kind of getting stuff ready and organized," to which the woman said, "That's crazy," turned around and left.
"I was shocked...I don't why it's closing. It's always busy here," Belem Eyerman said.
Irene Allen said, "I'm pretty upset, because we do a lot of shopping here...It's the closest big store and a buy a lot of quantity items."
Tammy Fullen was also upset about so many people losing their jobs, especially after Walmart said it would be raising its minimum pay to $11/hour.
"I think it sucks. I do," she said. "I think its terrible with so many people out of work, why can't they divide it up? I mean, I love Walmart. I shop there, too, but I hate to see Sam's Club go."
While we weren't able to talk to any Sam's Club employees, the company notified Workforce Development that hourly employees will be let go March 16 and managers on April 13. The company also said 10 of the 63 stores set to close will be turned into e-commerce distribution centers, with employees able to reapply for jobs at those sites, but the company didn't identity where those sites were.