The First Walmart Store Opens

Setting the scene

Sam Walton had operated Ben Franklin variety stores in Arkansas; he studied discount rivals and bet on rural towns ignored by big-city retailers, promising 'Every Day Low Prices' through volume purchasing and frugal overhead.

What happened

The first Walmart opened on July 2, 1962, in Rogers, Arkansas, as Wal-Mart Discount City, a 16,000-square-foot store with Walton's red pickup truck often parked outside.

Why it still matters

Everyday low prices reshaped retail, crushing local hardware and department stores while building a supply-chain empire; Walmart became the world's largest company by revenue, reshaping labor law debates, Chinese manufacturing, and small-town main streets nationwide.

Background

Everyday low prices reshaped retail.