Sam Walton (1918

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Biography

Samuel Moore Walton was an American business magnate best known for co-founding the retailers Walmart and Sam's Club, which he started in Rogers, Arkansas, and Midwest City, Oklahoma, in 1962 and 1983 respectively. Wal-Mart Stores Inc. grew to be the world's largest corporation by revenue as well as the biggest private employer in the world. For a period of time, Walton was the richest person in the United States. His family has remained the richest family in the U.S. for several consecutive years, with a net worth of around $440.62 billion US as of January 2026. In 1992 at the age of 74, Walton died of blood cancer and was buried at the Bentonville Cemetery in his longtime home of Bentonville, Arkansas.

In Their Own Words (1)

I pay low wages. I can take advantage of that. We're going to be successful, but the basis is a very low-wage, low-benefit model of employment.

Attributed in Adam L. Penenberg, "Why Google Is Like Wal-Mart", Wired, 21 April 2005 , 2005

Timeline

The story of Sam Walton, told in moments.

1945 Life

Opened a Ben Franklin franchise store in Newport, Arkansas, with a $20,000 loan from his father-in-law. Built it into the top-performing franchise in the six-state region. Then lost it all when his landlord refused to renew the lease and gave the store to his own son.

How did losing your best store because a landlord betrayed you change your strategy? Was that Newport lesson the most important failure of your life? Did your father-in-law's $20,000 bet on you feel like pressure?

1962 Event

Opened the first Walmart in Rogers, Arkansas. His concept: put discount stores in small towns that larger retailers ignored. He was 44 years old and had been in retail for 17 years.

What made you see small towns as opportunity when everyone else saw nothing? Was opening Walmart at 44 a late start or perfect timing? How did 17 years of retail prepare you for disruption?

1985 Event

Forbes named him the richest person in America. He still drove his old pickup truck and got his hair cut at the local barbershop. Walmart had grown to 882 stores with $8.4 billion in revenue.

Why keep driving the old pickup truck when you were the richest person in America? Was the barbershop haircut about humility or habit? Did 882 stores at $8.4 billion feel like enough?

1992 Death

Died of blood cancer in Little Rock at 74. Walmart was the world's largest retailer. His family's combined wealth is now over $400 billion. He's buried in Bentonville, Arkansas.

What would you think of your family's $400 billion combined wealth? Is Bentonville still the right home for Walmart? Did the world's largest retailer become what you imagined?

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Explore what happened on the days that shaped Sam Walton's life. Today In History connects historical figures with the events, births, and deaths that defined their era. Browse all historical figures or explore today's events.