BJ's to open 1st club in Alabama

BJ’s Wholesale Club is bringing its value-is-king model to Alabama, opening its first store there on Nov. 10, according to the membership-based retailer’s website.

The new club will open in Madison, a suburb of Huntsville in Madison County. Located at 165 Graphics Drive, the store marks the retailer’s 239th location and expands the company’s footprint to a 20th state. The new location will also include a BJ’s gas station.

“We’re thrilled to open the Madison club, our first location in Alabama,” said Tommy Metheny, club manager of Madison BJ’s Wholesale Club, in a statement. “As we gear up for the holiday season, we can’t wait to bring BJ’s unbeatable value and convenience to this community.”

Through Nov. 9, the club is offering a founding member discount for local shoppers interested in purchasing memberships. 

BJ’s also recently became the first club retailer to accept SNAP via Instacart's same-day delivery platform, allowing shoppers to access bulk items for delivery in as little as an hour.

BJ’s and Instacart announced on Friday that Electronic Benefits Transfer for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (EBT SNAP) can now be used to buy groceries on Instacart's app and website.

BJ's customers can now enter their SNAP card information as a form of payment on their Instacart profile. They can also split the payment at checkout and use both their SNAP card and other payment methods in one transaction.

“We’re committed to providing convenience and value to our members, and we’re excited to offer our members the ability to use their SNAP benefits through the full suite of shopping options at BJ’s, including online, in-club and now through Instacart,” said Monica Schwartz, chief digital officer of BJ’s Wholesale Club, in a statement. “We know our members can face shopping challenges, such as transportation and accessibility issues, so we are thrilled to provide an additional way for members to shop using SNAP through Instacart.” 

The grocery delivery company said its goal through the partnership with BJ’s is to “create a world where everyone has access to the food they love, and we've witnessed the transformative impact grocery delivery can have on expanding access to nutritious food," according to Sarah Mastrorocco, vice president and general manager of Instacart Health, in a statement.