Sam Walton opened the first Walmart store in Rogers, Arkansas, in 1962.
The store began as Walton’s Discount City and launched the retail format that became Walmart. Walton had already worked in variety and discount retail, including operating Ben Franklin stores, before creating his own chain. Rogers was the first location to use the Walmart name.
Bentonville is often confused with Rogers because Walmart’s headquarters and original corporate offices are in Bentonville. The company’s first store, however, was in Rogers, about 11 miles away. The original building is no longer operated as a regular Walmart store, but a museum and visitor center connected with Walmart history stands in Bentonville.
Walmart was incorporated as Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., in 1969. Its growth was driven by large discount stores, efficient distribution, and a strategy of locating stores in smaller towns before expanding into major metropolitan areas.