By Maria Rakoczy (maria@themadisonrecord.com)

MADISON – The long-awaited BJ’s Wholesale Club officially broke ground on its Town Madison location in a ceremony Thursday morning.

The location is major for both Madison and BJ’s. It is the first location for the wholesale store in the state of Alabama and the first of its kind in the city of Madison. It will be the chain’s 239^th store in the country and part of the chain’s expansion further into the southeast.

Executive Director of the Madison Chamber of Commerce, Michelle Epling, expressed her enthusiasm for the convenience the new store will bring to Madison residents, “I am so excited and thrilled to now have our own wholesale store here in the city limits of Madison, minutes from my house.”

The new store in Town Madison means Madison residents will no longer have to venture to Huntsville for wholesale shopping but will now have easy access right in their own city.

Peter Frangie, Vice President of Corporate Communications for BJ’s Wholesale, likewise shared their excitement to join the growing city of Madison, “We’re thrilled to be a part of this great community, and we’re looking forward to serving all the wonderful folks in greater Huntsville and in the Madison area.”

Madison City Council president Renae Bartlett spoke to the BJ’s representatives in thanking them for seeing the value in the city of Madison, “You are entering the hottest market in North Alabama. You are entering a city that has the number one school system in the state of Alabama and what that means, that’s a lot of families who will be buying groceries from BJ’s and they’re going to be loyal supporters, and they’re going to be thankful because they know that the revenue we’re going to produce is going to help support our schools.”

Dave Picot, Senior Vice President of Real Estate and Development for BJ’s, boasted that BJ’s grocery prices are 25% less than the average and that BJ’s has a strong philanthropy initiative that partners each club with local food banks. Emily McCann, of the philanthropy and community outreach arm of BJ’s, made a donation to and marked the beginning of the club’s relationship with the Food Bank of North Alabama. The partnership will continue as the club contributes volunteer hours and regular donations of food and goods.

BJ’s selected Madison for the city’s enormous growth and promise of prosperity. Louis Breland of Breland Homes and Steve Harraway of the Madison County Commission and a former member of the Madison city council attested at the groundbreaking to the long process of bringing BJ’s to Town Madison and the growth that attracted the wholesale club to the area.

The store is aiming to open in November in 2023 and will have the store and a fuel station, which will have savings on gas for BJ’s credit card holders. BJ’s Wholesale is currently offering a deal for the Madison club that includes a $40 gift card with the purchase of a new membership. To learn more about the club and to sign up for memberships, visit bjs.com