Sam Walton founded Walmart in Rogers, Arkansas, in 1962.
Walton opened the first Wal-Mart Discount City store on July 2, 1962, after years operating variety stores through the Butler Brothers franchise system. His strategy centered on low prices, high sales volume, and locating stores in smaller communities that larger chains often overlooked.
The business expanded through a combination of company-owned stores and later public investment. Walmart became known for sophisticated distribution, centralized purchasing, and aggressive price competition. The hyphen in the original name, Wal-Mart, was eventually dropped in 2008.
People sometimes confuse Walmart's founding with the opening of Walton's first variety store in 1950 or with the company's stock-market listing in 1970. The Walmart chain itself dates to 1962. Walton's retail philosophy was summarized in the phrase “Everyday Low Prices,” which became closely associated with the company's brand and operating model.