But when one of our experiments works, watch out. Take Sam’s Clubs, for example. It was an experiment when we started it up in 1983, and now nine years later it’s a $10 billion business with more than 217 stores and terrific growth potential. Sam’s are big stores in warehouse-type buildings aimed at small-business owners and other customers who buy merchandise in bulk. A membership fee entitles a customer to shop at Sam’s, which charges wholesale prices for name-brand, often high-end merchandise—everything from tires to cameras to watches to office supplies to cocktail sausages and soft
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