Another New BJ's Wholesale Club to open in Mass.

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Another plan for BJ's expansion was unveiled today when the company announced yet another 80,000 square foot new store to be opening in 2010.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A Braintree developer has announced plans to construct a BJ's Wholesale Club on Hubbard Avenue. It would be the first BJ's in Berkshire County

The Berkrire Eagle says the store will be 88,000 square feet, and provide the community with 120 retail jobs. 

BJ's in Quincy set to open in April

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So amidst any further delays the club in Quincy is set to open in April....The Patriot Ledger has more on the 85,000 sqft store.

Aside from the barrage of complaints we're received regarding the increased Club politics during the past few months (in metro NY) we'd like to hear from workers all over, are these politics affecting your work atmosphere as much as they are here in NY?  Even the Long Island workers are saying things are "tightening up" more and more.

Let us know, keep the emails coming.

Another BJ's Wholesale Club for Brooklyn???

Community Board 11 is reviewing the proposal but developer Joe Sitt, of Thor Equities has proposed to bring a BJ's Wholesale Club to Brooklyn's Shore Parkway.

Thor Equities Developer Joe Sitt is getting back to his retail roots and proposing construction of a new 214,000-square-foot shopping center at 1752 Shore Parkway.

The Amboy Bus Company is currently using the site to store its school buses.

Plans to construct space for a new BJ’s Wholesale Club and three other retail stores between 24th Avenue and Bay 37th Streetwill get a hearing at the Department of City Planning on October 29.

 You can check out Thor Equities site on the development of 1752 Shore Parkway here. Let us know what you think!

BJ's begins laying foundation for new store in Mass.

This weekend, workers began laying foundation for a new BJ's Wholesale Club in Quincy Massachusetts.  The 85,000 sqft store is slated to be completed by April 2010. 

Elsewhere, BJ's sales announced that its comparable club sales for August 2009 decreased by 6.0%, including a negative impact of 8.2% from lower gasoline prices and volumes. Excluding gasoline, merchandise comparable club sales increased by 2.2%.

In 2008, the Company reported a comparable club sales increase of 15.4% for August, including a contribution from sales of gasoline of 7.7%. Excluding the impact of gasoline, merchandise comparable club sales increased by 7.7%

BJ's Wholesale Club toys with a different store structure of 85,000 sqft

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Last Wednesday BJ's CEO Laura Sen had a lot to mention regarding the 85,000 sqft prototype store in Pennsylvania. The store plans on serving a "less dense market", and allows the company to expand into area's which they wouldn't explore before. The city of Syracuse was listening to this closey, from Friday's Post Standard: 'With new size in mind BJ's could expand to Syracuse area'

Whether or not BJ's expands to Syracuse the fact is that BJ's is thinking, and thinking wisely we should add. As a 'big box' store, and a typical 100,000+ sqft operator they have seen the fruits of holding such an immense retail space, though they have also been held back on expanding to certain areas who craved a store like BJ's, but did not have the sufficient space for them.

In 2008, Wal-Mart also toyed with the idea of a smaller format in order to take on neighborhood stores they wouldn't usually compete with their usual supercenters. The 'Marketside' test hasn't worked out the way Wal-Mart planned, as the Wal-Mart hierarchy has put a halt on expansion citing the struggling economy. We'll see if BJ's will take the same turn, downsizing to comply to an area they aren't accustom to serving.

The question on our mind though is what the new 'prototype' stores will do for jobs at BJ's?, both current and future. Will there be an infrastructure change? Will there be a different benefit package? Will there be different job descriptions? Will there be more controversial promotions?

Only time will tell, but we'd like to know what you think now...

BJ's to report Second Quarter Earnings Wednesday

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The New York Times previews BJ's Wholesale Club's second quarter earnings, after J.P. Morgan downgraded the stock yesterday. Earnings aren't expected to be too strong, we've heard that the mood has been a little tense in the stores because of this.

Yet another new BJ's Wholesale Club in the works?!?

Massachusetts: A Seyon Street site that was once slated for a Lowe’s home improvement store will now be home to a BJ’s Wholesale Club, according to a spokeswoman for the developer of the property.

Diana Pisciotta, spokeswoman for Boston-based Samuels and Associates, said an 117,000-square-foot BJ’s is planned for the 20 Seyon St. location., which the developer will build “by right.”

Read the article here. Construction is planned to be finished by the fall of 2010.

More at Boston.com: BJ's to move into former Raytheon site.

What a month for BJ's, if I'm counting right, that brings the July count of new BJ's developments up to four, and the sixth announcement of new projects since March...What recession??

Oh and they've also just inked a new 5-year contract with Wirpo Bags.