For Walmart, one of the world’s largest companies by market value and revenue, its first store opened in Arkansas.
Sam Walton opened the first Walmart store in Rogers, Arkansas, on July 2, 1962. The store operated under the name Wal-Mart Discount City. Walton had already worked in retail and had operated Ben Franklin variety stores before launching the discount chain.
Walmart expanded by concentrating initially on smaller towns that were often overlooked by larger retailers. Its stores used high sales volume, efficient distribution, and low prices to build customer loyalty. The company opened its first distribution center in 1970 and was listed on the New York Stock Exchange in 1972.
The first store’s location is sometimes confused with Walmart’s headquarters, which is in Bentonville, Arkansas. Both cities are in the same state, but Rogers is the site of the original Walmart store. The company later expanded internationally and became one of the world’s largest retailers by sales.