Spokesman: Lakewood Walmart To Remain Open Despite Sam’s Club Closing

LAKEWOOD – Wal-Mart Spokesman Phillip Keene confirmed to WNYNewsNow Thursday night that the Lakewood Wal-Mart  will remain open despite the local Sam’s Club closing January 26th.
”We (Wal-Mart) have no intentions of closing any Supercenters in Lakewood,” Keene said via email.
Ellicott Town Supervisor Pat McLaughlin told reporter Ryan Hedrick earlier Thursday that another regional management spokesperson told him that the Lakewood Wal-Mart Supercenter would stay open.
The local Sam’s Club was one of 63 nationwide that unexpectedly told employees earlier Thursday that they’d be losing their jobs.
Sam’s Club’s corporate team hung up the phone when reached for comment.
“It was a corporate decision made to put over a 100 people out of work, ” a local manager, who requested anonymity, said. “It sucks, but it is what it  is.”
“Corporate came in this morning for a meeting, which we were paid for, and they broke the news to us that we’d no longer be open effective the 26th,” they added. “They wanted you (the staff) to finish out the shifts that you have remaining.”
The source said that times and schedules will be altered, and the store will only be open from 10-6 effective Friday.