Sol Price's membership discount retail chain (1954-1982) — the institutional forerunner of warehouse retail, from which both Costco and Sam's Club are directly descended.
The membership warehouse model origin: Sol Price invented the warehouse membership retail concept at FedMart — discount prices, limited SKUs, membership fees, self-service, warehouse presentation. When Price was forced out of FedMart, he founded Price Club, which merged with Costco. Jim Sinegal (Costco co-founder) learned retail at Sol Price's knee. Sam Walton modeled Sam's Club directly on the Price concept. FedMart is thus the organizational ancestor of two of the world's largest retail formats.
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