The first Wal-Mart store opened in Rogers, Arkansas in 1962. The first Sam's Club opened in 1983. The first international store was purchased in Mexico in 1991. Today Wal-Mart and Sam's Club own more than 4,400 stores in the United States. Furthermore, Wal-Mart has more than 5200 stores and is located in 27 countries. Wal-Mart seems to have the “Midas touch” in everything it does; it was a complete disaster in Germany. On March 29, 1918, Sam Moore Walton was born to Thomas and Nancy Walton. He had a younger brother named Bud. During the Great Depression, Sam helped increase the family income by delivering newspapers. In 1936 he graduated from the University of Missouri with a degree in economics. He took his first full-time job as a management trainee at JC Penny's in 1940. He married Helen Robson in 1943. She had a degree in finance and her father ran a thriving business. Sam and Helen had a knack for business. In 1945, Sam along with his brother Bud borrowed $25,000 from his father-in-law to purchase a five and dime store called Ben Franklin in Newport, Arkansas. He had very little knowledge in running a business. He learned how to reduce costs and keep customers happy. In 1950, the owner did not renew the contract and Walton was forced to move his business to Bentonville, Arkansas. Later, this would be the headquarters of Wal-Mart. Sam and Bud owned a total of nine Ben Franklin franchise stores. Walton began to worry about the prospects of five-and-dime stores. He started looking at larger chains like K-Mart. Those larger retail chains that favored suburban or urban sites shunned rural areas. In 1962, Walton transformed his five-and-dime store into the first Wal... middle of paper... Wal-Mart Germany." Walmartstores.com. Np, nd Web. September 17, 2011. .Troy, Mike. "Wal- Mart Germany Strengthens: Company Profile." BNET the CBS Interactive Business Network. Discount Store News, January 4, 1999. Web. September 17, 2011. "Walmartstores.com: Fact Sheets." Walmartstores.com. Np, nd Web. September 17 2011. .“Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.” International Directory of Business Stories. 2004. Web. 17 September 2011. <http://www.encyclopedia.com> 2011. "Walton, Sam Moore." >.