Oct 11, 2004 11:01 AM, from staff and wire reports

BJ's Wholesale Club Inc has reported that sales for September 2004 increased 12.1% to $676.8 million from $603.5 million in September 2003. On a comparable club basis, sales rose by 8.3% for September. For September 2003, BJ's reported a comparable club sales gain of 12.4%.

Mike Wedge, president and chief executive officer, said, “We are very pleased with our strong sales momentum going into the back half of the year, particularly in food. On a comparable club basis, sales of food increased by approximately 13%.”

BJ's introduced the wholesale club concept to New England in 1984 and has since expanded to become a leading warehouse chain in the eastern United States. The company operates 154 clubs.