Bj S Wholesale Club

BJ's warehouse clubs streak past area rivalsBJ's Wholesale Club has become the first chain to effectively ring the Baltimore area with warehouse clubs.With its recent disclosure that it will open a warehouse on the old Music Fair property in Owings Mills, BJ's has streaked past rivals Price Club, Pace and Sam's Club in the race for real estate.The Natick, Mass.-based chain, a division of Waban Inc., hopes to open the 115,000-square-foot warehouse in the spring of 1993, said Susan Grieb, BJ's public relations manager.

C oupon masters, here's a question for you: Have you ever had to pay extra to take advantage of a "buy one, get one free" offer because the price of the "free" item exceeded the price limit stated on the coupon? BJ's Wholesale Club will pay a $40,000 penalty as part of a settlement with the state attorney general's office for giving Maryland consumers "buy one, get one free" store coupons with fine print that capped the value of the free product. In some cases, the language capped the coupons at less than the price of the product, so consumers had to pay extra for the item they thought they would receive for free, according to the attorney general's Consumer Protection Division.

Chamber of Commerce to meet Dec. 13 at Wilhelm Ltd. Carroll County Chamber of Commerce has announced its monthly meetings. A general membership luncheon will be held at noon Dec. 13 at Wilhelm Ltd. Caterers in Westminster. The cost is $15. Deadline for reservations is Thursday. Kathleen T. Snyder, president of Maryland Chamber of Commerce, will present a preview of the state chamber's business agenda for next year. The Connections After Hours networking opportunity and business card exchange will be from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Dec. 18 at the American Red Cross, New Windsor Conference Center, 500 Main St. Reservations are due by Dec. 12. Information: 410-848-9050.

BJ's Wholesale Club Inc. Shares fell $4.05 to $29.78. Weaker- than-expected sales of jewelry and toys, plus poor inventory management, hurt December sales for the third-largest U.S. warehouse retailer, an analyst said.

Big Lots store opening today at Carrolltown Carrolltown Center announces the grand opening of its Big Lots store today. Big Lots is a closeout retailer that features products at discounted prices. Today's grand opening will feature prize giveaways and children's activities. Carrolltown Center is on Liberty Road in Eldersburg. Information: 410-781-7070. BJ's Wholesale Club adopts elementary school BJ's Wholesale Club will launch its 2002-2003 "Adopt-a-School" program from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Friday with Friendship Valley Elementary School staff members, pupils and parents.

NATICK, Mass. - BJ's Wholesale Club Inc., the third-largest U.S. warehouse-club chain, said second-quarter profit rose 27 percent as higher gasoline and fresh food sales more than offset the establishment of a reserve to pay claims related to the theft of customer credit information. Net income in the quarter that ended July 31 rose to $28 million, or 40 cents a share, from $22 million, or 32 cents, for the second quarter last year, the company said. Per-share earnings exceeded the 37 cent average estimate of 18 analysts surveyed by Thomson Financial.

Oh, no. Not another "members-only" store coming our way.A news report in Monday's Anne Arundel County Sun says BJ's Wholesale Club, awarehouse shopping club based in Natick, Mass., is negotiating to move into the Festival at Pasadena shopping center on Ritchie Highway.This is not good news -- not because the area is already flooded with discount and warehouse stores, and not because a members-only store will cost money to join, but because it will require another identification card.That's right, another identification card.

Costco Wholesale Corp., the world's largest membership retail company, will expand to a sprawling residential-commercial development on the edge of Columbia, county documents show. Other records indicate that Lowe's Companies Inc., the giant home-improvement firm, also is intended for the project. Expanding to Gateway Overlook would put both companies within about 2.5 miles of major competitors, BJ's Wholesale Club and Home Depot. The property is bounded by Route 175, Route 108, Lark Brown Road and Old Waterloo Road.

It used to be you needed connections to buy at wholesale. Now all you need is a pulse and 25 bucks.BJ's Wholesale Club, the warehouse outlet chain with the most wide-open membership policy, holds the grand opening of its first Baltimore-area outlet today in White Marsh. It becomes the third general-merchandise company in the bare-beam set to open its doors in Baltimore, and its debut in the market marks the beginning of a new, fiercer phase in the region's forklift fight.The competition has been relatively genteel.

BJ's Wholesale Club Inc. Shares fell $4.05 to $29.78. Weaker- than-expected sales of jewelry and toys, plus poor inventory management, hurt December sales for the third-largest U.S. warehouse retailer, an analyst said.

Costco Wholesale Corp., the world's largest membership retail company, will expand to a sprawling residential-commercial development on the edge of Columbia, county documents show. Other records indicate that Lowe's Companies Inc., the giant home-improvement firm, also is intended for the project. Expanding to Gateway Overlook would put both companies within about 2.5 miles of major competitors, BJ's Wholesale Club and Home Depot. The property is bounded by Route 175, Route 108, Lark Brown Road and Old Waterloo Road.

NATICK, Mass. - BJ's Wholesale Club Inc., the third-largest U.S. warehouse-club chain, said second-quarter profit rose 27 percent as higher gasoline and fresh food sales more than offset the establishment of a reserve to pay claims related to the theft of customer credit information. Net income in the quarter that ended July 31 rose to $28 million, or 40 cents a share, from $22 million, or 32 cents, for the second quarter last year, the company said. Per-share earnings exceeded the 37 cent average estimate of 18 analysts surveyed by Thomson Financial.

Several credit-card companies, financial institutions and BJ's Wholesale Club continued to warn consumers this week that a possible security breach of the Massachusetts retailer's computer system may have resulted in credit-card information theft. It is believed that a small fraction of BJ's 8 million members - possibly hundreds of people - were affected by the database breach. In a letter to its customers this week, M&T Bank Corp. said it did not receive the name of the retailer, but was told by Visa USA that some fraudulent transactions believed to be associated with the incident had been reported in the United States, Europe and the Asian Pacific region.

After successfully campaigning to ban ground-based fireworks, Howard County authorities face another difficult task: making sure everyone knows about the new law. The County Council outlawed the devices, most of which explode close to the ground, last month. It will be illegal to sell those types of fireworks in the county after June 9, and the fine for using the ground-based devices will be up to $250. Although June 9 is less than two weeks away, many stores are not aware of the law, and authorities have begun a campaign to inform area retailers by distributing fliers and meeting with store owners.

Big Lots store opening today at Carrolltown Carrolltown Center announces the grand opening of its Big Lots store today. Big Lots is a closeout retailer that features products at discounted prices. Today's grand opening will feature prize giveaways and children's activities. Carrolltown Center is on Liberty Road in Eldersburg. Information: 410-781-7070. BJ's Wholesale Club adopts elementary school BJ's Wholesale Club will launch its 2002-2003 "Adopt-a-School" program from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Friday with Friendship Valley Elementary School staff members, pupils and parents.

A LINK between Cranberry Station Elementary School and BJ's Wholesale Club has evolved into a partnership that both parties call a profitable friendship. Ask who profits more, and most people will say, "The pupils." Since September, pupils have been rewarded for good grades, good attendance, good behavior and strong character traits with goodies provided (or paid for) by the club. A bulletin board at BJ's is decorated with the school's signature locomotive logo and features artwork and creative writing by Cranberry Station pupils.

C oupon masters, here's a question for you: Have you ever had to pay extra to take advantage of a "buy one, get one free" offer because the price of the "free" item exceeded the price limit stated on the coupon? BJ's Wholesale Club will pay a $40,000 penalty as part of a settlement with the state attorney general's office for giving Maryland consumers "buy one, get one free" store coupons with fine print that capped the value of the free product. In some cases, the language capped the coupons at less than the price of the product, so consumers had to pay extra for the item they thought they would receive for free, according to the attorney general's Consumer Protection Division.

Several credit-card companies, financial institutions and BJ's Wholesale Club continued to warn consumers this week that a possible security breach of the Massachusetts retailer's computer system may have resulted in credit-card information theft. It is believed that a small fraction of BJ's 8 million members - possibly hundreds of people - were affected by the database breach. In a letter to its customers this week, M&T Bank Corp. said it did not receive the name of the retailer, but was told by Visa USA that some fraudulent transactions believed to be associated with the incident had been reported in the United States, Europe and the Asian Pacific region.

Chamber of Commerce to meet Dec. 13 at Wilhelm Ltd. Carroll County Chamber of Commerce has announced its monthly meetings. A general membership luncheon will be held at noon Dec. 13 at Wilhelm Ltd. Caterers in Westminster. The cost is $15. Deadline for reservations is Thursday. Kathleen T. Snyder, president of Maryland Chamber of Commerce, will present a preview of the state chamber's business agenda for next year. The Connections After Hours networking opportunity and business card exchange will be from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Dec. 18 at the American Red Cross, New Windsor Conference Center, 500 Main St. Reservations are due by Dec. 12. Information: 410-848-9050.

A new traffic light will begin regulating traffic today in Westminster, signaling the imminent arrival of a new shopping center on Route 140. Although the light at Market Street might slow traffic headed out of town, it will make access to the six-store Westminster Marketplace easier, said Thomas B. Beyard, the city's director of planning and public works. The center will include Kohl's department store, BJ's Wholesale Club and Home Depot home-improvement store. The construction of the Kohl's is complete, and the store will open Oct. 5, said assistant manager Marcia Parker-Thompson.