There’s a new community plea to bring back Grapevine’s Sam’s Club. It was damaged last year by a tornado. Business leaders say the store plays a bigger role beyond being a place to shop. Vince Sims shows us the unique campaign to reopen Sam’s.
December 13, 2022, an EF-1 tornado hit Grapevine damaging several buildings including the Sam's Club which never reopened.
"I was devastated because I've been there for years,” former Sam’s Club shopper Jessica Cecil said. “I grew up in Grapevine, so I've been with Sam's ever since they opened."
Cecil says she misses the convenience.
"The closest one I can think of is in Keller and that's just too far," Cecil said.
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We checked and Sam's Club is standing by the business decision to close that store saying it aligns with the long-term growth strategy of the company.
The city of Grapevine confirms the building was structurally repaired but is just a vacant building.
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That could change if Grapevine Chamber of Commerce CEO RaDonna Hessel has her way.
The chamber started a postcard campaign to bring Sam's Club back to Grapevine.
"We're a tourism town,” Hessel said. “So, the postcards that you get when you travel 'we wish you were here' so that was kind of the birth of the idea of having a postcard with we wish you were here."
The free postcards say "We miss our Sam's. Please come back to Grapevine" and are pre-addressed to the Sam's Club headquarters in Arkansas.
Hessel said this is more than just about shopping convenience.
"Grapevine keeps our property taxes very low and we live and breathe basically on sales tax,” Hessel said. “So, when you lose a sales tax driver such as Sam's Club, it's a pretty big hit to the community."
Hessel doesn't know if Sam's Club will change its mind but said it's worth a try.
"I think it makes all of our citizens and business community feel like we are trying to do something,” Hessel said. “Whether Sam's would reopen for the community's wants and needs, I don't know. But I think they will know that this community misses them a great deal and we want them back."
The chamber has already handed out nearly 2,500 postcards and has more available for anyone wanting to send a card.
