Stores Closed for Snow on Roof

***UPDATE FRIDAY 8:01 A.M.***Sam’s Club is back open in Columbia. Store employees say they opened 7 a.m. Friday morning. The Walmart on Grindstone Parkway is still closed until further notice.***UPDATE 4 P.M. THURSDAY***The Walmart on Conley Road has reopened this afternoon. However, Sam’s Club will stay closed until Friday.The Walmart store on Grindstone Parkway has closed for heavy snow on its roof and minor leaks. Crews will be working to remove the snow from the roof and hope to reopen the store by Friday at noon.Columbia Building and Site Development Manager Shane Creech told ABC 17 News that city building officials were on the scene of the Conley Road stores Thursday morning. Creech says the city does not need to inspect the buildings because Walmart brought in a structural engineer from Kansas City.He says that engineer checked both Walmart and Sam’s Club and the store followed the engineer’s recommendations.***ORIGINAL STORY***Two big box stores in Columbia are temporarily closed so crews could remove snow from their roofs.Employees confirmed the Sam’s Club and Walmart on Conley Road were shut down around 11 a.m. Customers and staff were evacuated over safety concerns, and it is not clear when the buildings will reopen.Walmart spokesman Dianna Gee says crews are removing heavy snow from the rooftops at both stores. She apologizes for the inconvenience, but emphasized the importance of safety for associates, members and customersOfficials confirmed both stores have minor roof leaks, and they could remain closed until Friday.Workers say the Walmart stores on Grindstone Parkway and West Broadway in Columbia are open.Stay tuned to abc17news.com for more details.