Costco food court will require showing a membership card now

[mnrose]

I think it's fair to say that Walmart has had a lot to do with "main street" businesses going out of business. Walmart is located everywhere, and particularly, concentrates on smaller communities. I take my hometown as an example. It used to have a "main street" with all kinds of stores...pharmacy, fabric, appliance, clothing, etc. Now, it's full of little boutique type places that struggle...but there's a big Walmart on the edge of town that sells everything that "used to be" on mainstreet.

This is NOT the Costco business model. You will not find Costco's in anything CLOSE to the size of my hometown...but in "everywhere" Minnesota you will find a Walmart. Costco aims for larger cities in more suburban areas. Plus, Costco sells an average of 4000 products per store....they can't BE an everything store that puts mainstreet out of business with that model. Walmart (average one) carries 100-120,000 items per store. BIG difference, and yes, they CAN replace every other store in town with that model. Plus, BIG difference, Costco pays their employees a living wage with good benefits. Won't find too many Costco employees on SNAP, for example. In California, they hand out SNAP applications with your employment application at some stores in the Walmart chain. There's a reason that turnover is low at Costco stores...that too is part of their business model. Please don't lump Walmart and Costco together. Sams' and Costco would be a more fair comparison (and yes, I realize that Sam's and Walmart are owned by the same family).

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I think it's fair to say that Walmart has had a lot to do with "main street" businesses going out of business. Walmart is located everywhere, and particularly, concentrates on smaller communities. I take my hometown as an example. It used to have a "main street" with all kinds of stores...pharmacy, fabric, appliance, clothing, etc. Now, it's full of little boutique type places that struggle...but there's a big Walmart on the edge of town that sells everything that "used to be" on mainstreet.

At the same time I would hazard a guess that any store that suddenly sold a variety of items together rather than having to go to each and every location would do that as well. I'm not saying that Walmart probably hasn't had that effect somewhere but I'm also not convinced it's a Walmart just a Walmart thing either.

Specialized stores are kinda a thing of the past in general. I don't want to have to go to this place and that place and then that place to get my needs. Put a Target there and if enough people like the model of going to a place like that you'll probably see the same result (and Target on average is perception-wise more expensive than Walmart).

Main streets also evolve. Many of our main streets in city's downtown areas in our metro are undergoing transformations from old school to new more modern places that suit the changing desires of the publics they serve. Usually the gripes from the citizens arise from removing the quaint charm feel of downtown main streets in terms of the looks and size of the buildings (which is a valid complaint IMO) rather than the businesses that are in them.

In small towns what may a problem today is more the pull and push of staying in the past and moving towards the future. Or populations decreasing in numbers. Or what we've seen in some areas when the highway is diverted away from the town--that happened to an area of the Lake of the Ozarks we visit. They diverted the highway and a portion of the area stopped getting business because people just didn't travel through and if residents went it wasn't enough.

 

[NYCgrrl]

I'm fascinated by people who hold memberships for just home use- what do you buy? Where do you put it? I remember my dad having a card long ago, but we were only a family of 3 living in a small house so really there was no point buying anything in that large a quantity LOL

I find it to have great pricing for household staples such as aluminum foil, powdered laundry detergent, gallons of white vinegar and ammonia as well as paper products.
In my previous apartment I stored most of the goods in our 2/3 bthrm which was lined with shelves and functioned as a pantry most of the time. Now in a smaller apartment I put the extras on the overhead shelves of the dressing room's walk in closet.

I'm a perimeter supermarket shopper so haven't much need for prepared food goods but often bought the mini mozzarella balls in oil, red peppers and herbs; great for parties by dumping off the cottonseed oil and replacing with olive oil and fresh chopped parsley.

Excelllent pricing on certain well constructed clothing goods such as khaki pants and golf shirts. Same for brand named coolers that are made to the manufacturers' specs instead of Costco's.

I've never joined the club but my sister did and we tend to share memberships to get the best costing out of it.

 

[Sparkly]

Interesting, I forgot they also do fresh food as I haven't been into a Costco in many years. I assumed, like most cash and carries (UK term for these types of places) they only sold items in bulk.

 

[Dan Murphy]

And then slso, there is the Costco Connection.



https://www.cnn.com/2020/02/24/business/costco-connection-magazine-retail/index.html

 

[disykat]

At the same time I would hazard a guess that any store that suddenly sold a variety of items together rather than having to go to each and every location would do that as well. I'm not saying that Walmart probably hasn't had that effect somewhere but I'm also not convinced it's a Walmart just a Walmart thing either.

Yes! I know people who refuse to shop at Walmart because they put small businesses out and pay low. They are horrified that I will shop there. Then they regularly go buy out Target. In our area at least, Target pays entry level workers less than Walmart. Costco, on the other hand, compensates employees well. They have a totally different business model.

 

[mnrose]

Yes! I know people who refuse to shop at Walmart because they put small businesses out and pay low. They are horrified that I will shop there. Then they regularly go buy out Target. In our area at least, Target pays entry level workers less than Walmart. Costco, on the other hand, compensates employees well. They have a totally different business model.

Which is why my "go to" for anything I need is Costco first. And, only if Costco doesn't carry it, will I shop elsewhere. I like their business model, and choose to support it with my dollars when I can. I haven't shopped a Walmart in years (literally), and Target only for the CVS pharmacy (located inside it in my area) which I'm required to use for my prescription drugs. Don't get the Target love either. Shrug.

 

[JimMIA]

Places like Costco and Wal mart is what put so many small businesses out of business and made some parts of town ghost towns. That’s not always for the best.

I was thinking about responding to this, but I decided to go to Costco for a sheet cake instead!

 

[HeightRequirement]

I miss the polish dogs.

 

[HeightRequirement]

At my Costco they require your membership card to even walk in the door, so you can't get to the food area without showing membership ID.

at ours too. i do know that some have the food court outside of the entrance, so wondering if they will start asking to have members show membership there too.

 

[elaine amj]

I work office hours so can’t go it on weekdays.
On weekends you couldn’t pay me to go.
They have cops directing traffic in and out of the parking lot.
Seems like a hassle for a hot dog!

Your Costco must be in a big city then. The Costcos I visit are in suburban areas so while it is busy, I never have too much trouble finding parking and going in. And yes, sometimes we do go just for their $1.50 hot dogs! And we do it sometimes when we travel too - when we are on a tighter budget, it makes an awesome yet cheap meal. Helps that even my kids have fun going to Costco and trying all the food samples.

However I remember going to Toronto's Costco once - I don't think I will ever go again unless I really needed something. Ppl there swarm over the food samples extremely aggressively and no wonder - there were so many ppl that the poor staff could never put out enough samples - always gone within seconds.

We tried to get gas and my DH is usually very determined when it comes to stuff like that (and used to patiently waiting 10+ mins for the pumo at our local Costco). After circling the parking lot and getting stuck everywhere, he finally admitted defeat - he couldn't even find the entrance to the crazy crowded gas pumps.

Toronto desperately needs another Costco lol.

 

[NYCgrrl]

Yes! I know people who refuse to shop at Walmart because they put small businesses out and pay low. They are horrified that I will shop there. Then they regularly go buy out Target. In our area at least, Target pays entry level workers less than Walmart. Costco, on the other hand, compensates employees well. They have a totally different business model.

There is no Walmart's in NYC. I do make a point of stopping there when we vac in New England though. Mostly I buy common camping needs there like Coleman fuel. It's annoying as it is with all the big box stores that replaced Woolworth's, McCory's, etc, that I have to buy "kits" instead of exactly and only the part I want.

 

[DLgal]

It's annoying as it is with all the big box stores that replaced Woolworth's, McCory's, etc, that I have to buy "kits" instead of exactly and only the part I want.

This is why Amazon exists.

 

[bcla]

at ours too. i do know that some have the food court outside of the entrance, so wondering if they will start asking to have members show membership there too.

It's buried earlier, but the various means to get around that were discussed. Obviously the ones that are outdoors are used by those who don't have memberships.

However, I went to a couple of locations and none have signs or anything else indicating that membership cards will be required. Some of the earlier discussion is that it may only be specific location requirements or perhaps a regional thing.

 

[Skippy918]

A 4th costco recently opened in our metro area and the other 3 are still crowded. We go on a weekday night and it’s more manageable and grab dinner at the same time. After our local Costco opened, a whole bunch of other stores opened up and now there’s lots of shopping and restaurants near there.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Your Costco must be in a big city then. The Costcos I visit are in suburban areas so while it is busy, I never have too much trouble finding parking and going in. And yes, sometimes we do go just for their $1.50 hot dogs! And we do it sometimes when we travel too - when we are on a tighter budget, it makes an awesome yet cheap meal. Helps that even my kids have fun going to Costco and trying all the food samples.

However I remember going to Toronto's Costco once - I don't think I will ever go again unless I really needed something. Ppl there swarm over the food samples extremely aggressively and no wonder - there were so many ppl that the poor staff could never put out enough samples - always gone within seconds.

We tried to get gas and my DH is usually very determined when it comes to stuff like that (and used to patiently waiting 10+ mins for the pumo at our local Costco). After circling the parking lot and getting stuck everywhere, he finally admitted defeat - he couldn't even find the entrance to the crazy crowded gas pumps.

Toronto desperately needs another Costco lol.

I live in the suburbs and the two Costcos in my direct area are very busy. Weekends really are road warrior style trips meaning you need patience both for parking, for lines, and people.

Given that there are a gadzillion Walmarts here and there are ones that are very busy I don't know that opening a ton of Costcos would help with that other than create a location that might be just a wee bit less busy than another like it is with Walmart.

I think it would be more how many people live in a given area not necessarily city vs suburbs. My entire county is suburbs (with country living sprinkled here and there) but it is the most populous county in the state.

 

[bcla]

A 4th costco recently opened in our metro area and the other 3 are still crowded. We go on a weekday night and it’s more manageable and grab dinner at the same time. After our local Costco opened, a whole bunch of other stores opened up and now there’s lots of shopping and restaurants near there.

Costco locations are varied. Many of them were located where there was plenty of available space to build. Sometimes even an existing space although that's rare. Around my area a lot of just in isolated industrial areas, although a few were built around large shopping areas. A few are located well off freeways. One in Silicon Valley has been there for decades but has no room to expand the parking. However, I don't see them finding any way to move the location.

One location I know of is in what's now Pacific Commons in Fremont, California. Costco became one of several businesses, including a Target, big box stores, and restaurants. It's really just become part of the area. I'm pretty sure that having a Costco there is good for other businesses, especially when people go for gas after work or might get a bit to eat somewhere else.

 

[SteveH]

When our kids were growing up and even now that they are out of the house we are in Costco about once a week. With two boys that drank milk like crazy Costco's two pack of milk was a great deal, and we'd buy two packs at a time. We still go in often because their fresh vegetables are almost always good, as long as you watch the dates. I'm not sure if I could buy TP in a 4 roll pack, I've bought it from Costco for so long it's part of my DNA. When Shopko closed here we moved our percriptions to Costco, 90 days refills weren't an issue with them like ShopKo. I rarely, if ever, gas up at anyplace but Costco. Bottom line, I know many of the employees by a first name basis, and they know me. Having shopped at this store for 17 years it's like family to me. When Costco started selling coffins I say, "If Costco doesn't sell it, you probably don't need it."

 

[bcla]

When Costco started selling coffins I say, "If Costco doesn't sell it, you probably don't need it."

I don't know if they' regularly sell coffins, but it wouldn't surprise me if they had some roadshow seller that did. Their roadshow sales can be pretty interesting.

 

[NYCgrrl]

I don't know if they' regularly sell coffins, but it wouldn't surprise me if they had some roadshow seller that did. Their roadshow sales can be pretty interesting.

You used to be able to find coffins on their website; no idea if they are still listed in inventory.