No membership needed: BJ’s opens its doors to workers on the front lines of coronavirus
Workers on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic have been inundated with displays of appreciation, free food and special deals as the outbreak drags on.
Now BJ’s is chiming in with an offer of its own.
Healthcare workers and first responders can shop at BJ’s Wholesale Club for one hour every Sunday from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. — no membership needed, the company announced Thursday.
“We are incredibly grateful for everything that our first responders and healthcare workers are doing to keep our communities safe and healthy,” President and CEO Lee Delaney said in a news release. “We’re proud to offer a designated shopping hour to first responders and healthcare workers as a small way to say thank you for their hard work and dedication.”
BJ’s has more than 210 stores in 17 states along the East Coast, from Florida to New York, and in parts of the Midwest, according to its website.
The “Appreciation Hour” will start Sunday, April 19, the release states.
Qualifying workers will have to sign up for a complimentary membership at the member services desk, which allows them to shop “during the designated shopping hour and during standard hours of operation at all locations,” according to the release.
They will also be eligible for a free, four-month “Inner Circle” membership, BJ’s said.
The Inner Circle membership is BJ’s standard in-store and online membership costing $55 per year, according to its website. Shoppers over the age of 60 will still be able to shop from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. Monday through Saturday, the release states.
The announcement follows rival Sam’s Club, which said Tuesday it will host special “Hero Hours” on Sundays from 8 to 10 a.m.
But BJ’s might be the first that doesn’t require front-line workers to buy into a membership plan.
This story was originally published April 16, 2020 at 6:55 PM.
