In the world of warehouse clubs, Costco and Sam's Club are typically the two biggest players we talk about. And when it comes to making headlines, Costco is at the forefront, whether it be about trendy products with a cult following or customer outrage over store changes. But there's a third bulk-buy retailer in the mix, and it's hoping it can come for its competitors this year. Read on for all the moves BJ'S Wholesale Club is making.
1. BJ's will open up to 30 new stores.
BJ's will accept manufacturer coupons.Shutterstock
BJ's Wholesale Club announced that it will open between 25 and 30 new stores over the next two fiscal years, including its first foray into Texas. BJ's currently operates 252 stores in 21 states.
So far, BJ's has announced the following locations to open in early 2025:
- Brooksville, Florida (opened February)
- Myrtle Beach, South Carolina (opened February)
- Southern Pines, North Carolina (opened March 7)
- Whippany, New Jersey (opened March 21)
- Staten Island, New York
The following locations will open later in 2025:
- Delray Beach, Florida
- Warner Robins, Georgia
- Sevierville, Tennessee
- Casselberry, Florida
The Delray Beach location will be the second BJ's Market, a small-format store offering "top-selling fresh foods, produce, sundries and seasonal products."
BJ's will also open "several clubs" in the Dallas-Fort Worth area starting in early 2026.
Costco, on the other hand, plans to open
29 new locations by the end of August, bringing its total store count to more than 900. And though BJ's numbers may pale in comparison, it's worth noting that they're expanding their geographic footprint.
"BJ's is branching out of the northeast U.S. where all of its stores are primarily located right now,"
Julie Ramhold, consumer analyst with DealNews.com, previously shared with Best Life.
2. BJ's has a $20 membership deal.
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BJ's standard Club Card Membership is $60 annually, similar to the $65/year Gold Star Membership at Costco. However, BJ's is currently running a promotion where you can snag this membership for just $20.
Through Stack Social, the deal is a 66 percent discount, and it also entitles you to a $20 reward when you spend $60 in the first 30 days—making it practically free.
If you're interested in BJ's Club+ Card Membership, which is normally $120 a year, the promotion brings that down to just $40. This membership tier gives you 2 percent back in rewards on most purchases, 5 cents off per gallon at BJ's gas stations, two- to three-times back in rewards during promotions, and more.
Both of these promotions are only available to new members and require you to sign up for auto-renewal, reports Market Watch.
3. BJ's offers ExpressPay and digital coupons.
BJ's offers discounted educational and military memberships.Shutterstock
One of shoppers' biggest gripes about Costco is the long lines (especially now with people scrambling to buy eggs). The frustration has led many members to switch to Sam's Club, where they can easily check out using the Scan & Go app. But BJ's offers its own method of skipping the line.
If you have the BJ's app, you can scan your items as you shop and then pay digitally, thanks to the ExpressPay function. It even helps you clip coupons on qualifying items. Once you've paid, you simply show your code to a store associate on the way out.
"ExpressPay via the app is a gamechanger. Nothing like bypassing almost everything and showing the bar code at the exit and leaving," said one happy customer on Reddit.
"The coupons are great, especially since you can clip them in the app and they automatically came off and you can clip and use them again several times," said another.
And speaking of coupons, BJ's is the only warehouse club that allows members to use manufacturer's coupons. "It also lets you stack those with BJ's coupons and offers to save even more," Ramhold told us.
4. BJ's has deli counters.
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Another reason some shoppers have recently abandoned Costco in favor of Sam's Club is the latter's introduction of its Grab & Go section. Unlike both stores' food courts, the Grab & Go offerings are pre-packaged, single-serve foods like Caesar salad, sushi, and the famous Tuxedo Bar Cake. And while BJ's might not have this exact model, it does have something completely unique—a traditional deli counter.
BJ's deli lets shoppers choose how much of a particular sliced meat or cheese they'd like, unlike other warehouse clubs where your only option is to buy in bulk.
"BJ’s has fresh cut deli meats. I was just at Costco and couldn’t believe they didn’t have deli meats," shared one shopper on Reddit, where several others commended the prices of the cold cuts.
"I much prefer the deli at BJ’s. The dietz and Watson meets are good, the land o lakes cheeses are great and the prices are way better than my local grocery chain," said someone else in a separate Reddit thread.
You can even order deli meats and cheese ahead of time in the BJ's app, so you don't have to stand in line.
Investors are optimistic about BJ's future.
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All of these changes that BJ's is making aren't going unnoticed or unrewarded.
As Chain Store Age recently reported, "BJ’s reported fourth-quarter results that included its 12th straight quarter of traffic growth and 'all-time high' membership results."
Moreover, Zacks Equity Research just named BJ's a "strong growth stock." They wrote, "Its bottom-line is projected to rise 4.2% year-over-year for 2026, while Wall Street anticipates its top line to improve by 5.8%."
