Mid-Michigan Sam's Club location to close its doors

Hundreds of shoppers are being turned away from a Mid-Michigan Sam's Club location after management learned the location is shutting down.

The Sam's Club location at 340 East Edgewood Blvd. in Lansing closed unexpectedly Thursday. Security and management standing outside told customers that they'd temporarily reopen on January 12 at 10am, and then permanently close on January 26.

Only employees and customers with prescriptions were being allowed in the store on Thursday. Employees were made aware of the closure during a 9 a.m. staff meeting that day.

The Sam's Club gas station is also remaining closed Thursday.

In an e-mail sent to News 10 from Lansing City Council member Carol Wood, 172 employees will be impacted by the store closing.

Employees would have the opportunity to apply for other postions open within the company.

News 10 tracked down the Sam's Cub Corporate Office to get an answer regarding memberships. We have found that you can get your membership refunded for the amount left.

You'll be paid by check or you can ask for a gift card to use online, at another Sam's Club or even Walmart. They will even transfer your membership to another Sam's Club store for free and give you three months in addition at no cost.

A Walmart official says the company is closing 63 Sam's Club stores across the country. About 10 of those stores will be repurposed into e-commerce distribution sites.

The official said at least eight stores closed Thursday and the rest would shutter in the coming weeks. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss details of the decision publicly.

The Walmart official said it would too soon to know how many jobs would be eliminated with the Sam's Club closures. He said some employees would be re-hired at other Walmart locations or at the newly created e-commerce distribution sites.

The news comes on the same day Walmart announced it's boosting its starting salary for U.S. workers to $11 an hour, giving a one-time $1,000 cash bonus to eligible employees and expanding it's maternity and parental leave benefits.

for information regarding membership refunds.

Clayton Cummins will have the very latest on News 10 at 6 p.m.