Walmart was founded by Sam Walton in 1962 when he opened a discount store in Rogers, Arkansas.
Walton had already operated variety stores through the Ben Franklin franchise system. He believed large stores in small towns could succeed by offering low prices and high sales volume. The first Walmart store opened on July 2, 1962, and the company was incorporated as Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., in 1969.
The business expanded across the United States through discount department stores, supercenters, membership warehouses, and e-commerce. Its name was officially changed from Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., to Walmart Inc. in 2018.
A common mix-up is the founding date: Walton opened the first store in 1962, but the corporate incorporation came later. The original store site in Rogers is now associated with the Walmart Museum.