On December 15, site plans were submitted for a new BJ’s Wholesale Club (BJ’s) to be built in the Providence Central mixed-use development on Adams Lane near Interstate-40 in Mt. Juliet. The plans were approved by the Mt. Juliet Planning Commission at their first meeting of the year on January 20.
The city of Mt. Juliet has been working for years to get a wholesale retail club to open in the city. Similar to Costco and Sam’s Club, the company plans to build a 104,353 square-foot store containing a 3,400 square-foot tire center and a 214 square-foot gas station adjacent to the main building. The engineering firm is Kimley-Horn of Nashville. It is hoped that the new store will be opened in 2023.
LaVergne will be the location of the first BJ’s in Tennessee, but the Westborough, Massachusetts headquartered company has 223 clubs and 154 BJ’s Gas® locations in 17 states and more than six million members. The wholesale club offers savings of 25 percent or more compared to traditional supermarkets.
Discount department store chain Zayre started the precursor to BJ’s Wholesale Club Holdings, Inc. in 1984. According to a story in the Tennessee Ledger, “The company’s name was derived from the initials of Beverly Jean Weich, the daughter of Mervyn Weich, the then president of the new company. It went through many incarnations and owners before being spun off as in an independent company in 1997.
Like other wholesale clubs, shopping here requires either a consumer or business membership. BJ’s offers special pricing on a variety of name-brands, regional specialties, and they also accept manufacturer’s coupons. While Costco and Sam’s only take one type of credit card, BJ’s will accept all major credit cards.
BJs benefits the community because it will bring new people to shop and it will keep those who drive to Costco or Sam’s Club from leaving Mt. Juliet, insuring tax dollars stay in the city to use for capital improvements and local services.
While Facebook comments note that local residents are excited about BJ’s, there is much concern about the traffic congestion in the area. But traffic improvements are one of the conditions to the development.
“We are so excited and thankful BJ’s Wholesale has chosen Mt. Juliet for a potential new store location,” said City Manager Kenny Martin in a press release. “We feel blessed they have selected Mt. Juliet and stand ready to make their process as smooth as possible. We welcome them with open arms.”
Martin went on to explain that the recent increase in population was a significant part of getting BJ’s to come to Mt. Juliet.
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