Costco Opens Today

FINALLY!
So nice to be able to drop Sam’s Club for good.

I went last night for the first time. I love it. It’s so much better than Sams. They offer much better products. And the gas prices are as low as they are in south raleigh.

Just an editorial comment here from a regular reader – now you’ve gone too far.
I love your updates about neighborhood developments. The openings and closings of restaurants are interesting, since they can be so closely connected to our local culture. And, I’m willing to stretch that interest occasionally to retail outlets as they keep me updated on what our neighbors may and may not want to consume. But now you’ve gone too far.
A Cost-co opening is not a cultural event. It is an issue of public concern, and so you’re announcement is still a service in some way, but your listing of hours and rates and selfless advertising just make me sad.
Don’t we have enough mass-discount land-sucking aestheticly-abhoritional retail outlets in this town, or any american town? Should we really celebrate that there’s competition among them? I know there’s a place for big-box retail in our economy, but I wish it could all be cordoned off to some industrial park with all the chemical plants so that the risk to our community could be minimized.
Sorry for the rant, kind of. I like checking your site in the morning, and this post is kind of a downer.

CostCo’s opening is of interest to a lot of people, and given the depression of that area of Raleigh over the last several years it certainly is noteworthy. I know many wanted a continuation of North Hills for the Six Forks/Wake Forest area but big box it is. Posting the hours is simply convenience, and I’m glad he did.

I agree with MikeB, this is noteworthy for a couple of reasons:
1) Costco isn’t necessarily just like all other big-box retail. They are a responsible corporation who pay their workers fairly and give them reasonable benefits. The CEO even capped his own salary to a rate that only goes up when the employees as a whole see a raise. These are things you cannot say about any other big-box retail out there!
2) Instead of knocking down another forest or wetland out on the far suburban fringes of town just like all the other big boxes would (Walmart especially), Costco chose to buy an old abandoned tract of land inside-the-beltline in a neighborhood where most retail entities have avoided. No additional sprawl, no new forests cut down, just a decent example of infill and re-development. Anyone who cares about the well-being of our city can agree this is very commendable of them! Sure, it’s not a new “North Hills”, but at least it’s not a big box thrown out in the middle of nowhere taking up additional land.

Andy,
Thanks for reading! I personally have been really excited about getting a Costco. It’s amazing that they opened almost 500 stores in the world before coming here. That’s unusual for a large chain. Given the number of emails we’ve gotten, many others share my excitement. While it does have bulk quantity packages, it is a great store that offers some things that no local merchants currently offer.
As far as the impact on development in Raleigh, it is replacing an industrial distribution center for Pepsi, so this repurpose of the land offers residents an improvement in their ways of life over the previous use. Another improvement that you may be ignoring is the dozens and dozens of people I know who will no longer have to burn up gas in there cars going over to Durham’s Costco.
As for extra info like hours and membership fees, it is important that readers understand that this is a membership club, and they need to know what those fees are as a basis for comparision to options we currently have. The strange business hours should be known so people don’t waste time or gas going over there only to find out that the store isn’t open at that moment. In addition, we pride ourselves in not only being a source for info that something is open, we offer more info so that people can more efficicently live their lives. This kind of info sets us apart from newspaper columns that seem to write themselves.
Thanks again for reading and we hope that Raleigh will continue to get more opportunities to make life easier.
Dana
raleighing.com

Personally, I appreciate the “re-use” of an existing vacant lot/eyesore for something new instead of once again moving further and further out to find “new” and “sprawl”. The Costco’s business might even attract more appealing, useful businesses in the areas surrounding, such as around the Longbranch location. Also, the market will soon speak as to whether or not the new store is harmful or helpful to the local area. If they don’t pay people enough/give good enough benefits, they won’t work there. If the prices aren’t low enough for people’s budjets, they’ll go somewhere else or will have to come down. In the end, it is relevent and worthy of a one-day spot on this site, whether or not you would personally shop there.

Aside from what others have mentioned (re-use of a vacant lot, responsible company, etc.) I am excited about Costco for a rather silly reason: Only like 6 metro areas have all 3 super warehouse stores. We’re now one of them. (Yes, I know it’s a petty thing to be pumped about, so sue me.)

I think it’s completely relevant and a huge deal for Inside the Beltline. You are getting a substantial kickback from Costco though — right Dana?

Thanks for the Costco posting. I went there yesterday and LOVED it!! No kidding!! It was far superior to any Sam’s or BJ’s store in the area. They have such a nice selection of fresh meats and produce, beautiful flowers, bulk items as well as non bulk items.
Here is a little tip to those of you are “fashion savvy” or a “slave to brand names”: they have men’s Seven jeans for $89, men’s Lacoste 3 button short sleeve polo’s for $49 (beats paying almost $80 at any department or speciality store), the ever popular “Crocs” shoes for $19 as well as some Louis Vuitton bags. Don’t get me wrong, the LV bags were still $800 but that is better than $900 plus at Saks Fifth Avenue.
Kudos to Costco for a great infill project in an area that was becoming an eyesore. Hopefully, the Costo will lure some other businesses to the old Lowe’s Foods, World Gym and Alcatel locations.

Just in case any of the “advertising” and “kickback” statements are made or taken seriously by any of you out there, I’d like to reiterate that neither Dana nor I make a dime from this site.
Ok, just had to say that again…
Happy Raleighing! I’ll be checking out Costco tonight…

Molly, you might have to explain to men what “Seven” jeans are and why they aren’t $10.

I was completely joking about the “kickback”. My email didn’t translate too well, sorry. I would imagine running this site actually costs you guys money.

Slow news day, huh?

Costco ITB, yippee!

I work right across the Falls/SixForks intersection from Costco and boy was traffic crazy there today. People seemed to have no clue how to turn into a parking lot. I’m not looking forward to the added congestion there. Oh well.
I guess I’ll stop in one day and take a look. I typically try to avoid these places though. Many, myself included, end up buying stuff because it’s a “deal” rather than because you need it. I’ve got too much laying around the house already.

My wife and I made a “Date” and went to Costco about 1130am today. IT ROCKED…and was PACKED
Glad they are here.

I’m glad they are here as well. We dumped Sam’s long ago for BJ’s, but really would rather have an option closer to downtown, and this one fills the bill. Thanks for the logistical info on hours and fees, too. I was wondering.
BTW I think you guys do a fantastic job maintaining this site. I’m adding one of your shirts to my wardrobe in support. Well, not one of *your* shirts but swag. r’ing!
cheers!

Lew — While the first year was completely funded by yours truly, our hosting costs are now 100% covered by the kind folks who press that little Tip Jar button over there. So for the most part this site only costs us time… except for the kick ass business cards we had printed… but not having to say “just put i-n-g on the end of Raleigh” all the time makes that cost so totally worth it.

Costco rules…congrats Raleigh!
Your pal,
Durhamia

Can anybody tell me why the store faces the car dealership, instead of the corner??
Seems like most of the traffic would come from the beltline – why not face the building that way?

Whoever called the previous Pepsi plant site an “eyesore” perhaps did not take a close enough look. That facility was all brick, built in a 50s-60s style industrial architecture, and the landscape was meticulously maintained. A far cry from the big box + asphalt parking lot that currently resides.
Frankly, that site should have been saved and redeveloped. Not unlike Seaboard Station, it was in beautiful condition.
Too little, too late.

Keep in mind that this property is in a flood zone. No one in his or her right mind would have simply redeveloped that site. You’ll notice that the property has now been elevated for this very reason…

Not to wash away the crowd’s rising excitement of Costco’s opening, but the mention of the flood zone compels me to speak.
I’ve got a real problem with new buildings and fill dirt displacing natural flood plains. The artifically elevated land (10 feet of trucked-in earth) that Costco now sits on will move future floodwaters even further out.
Through no fault of their own, nearby residences and businesses that were previously out of the historical flood plain are now suddenly in a flood zone, while Costco will be sitting high and dry!
Think about it…If you had a low-lying, flood prone patch of land next to your home (a home which never had flood problems), and a new neighbor trucked in many feet of fill dirt to build a new home and that home subsequently stayed high and dry, while your home was ravaged by floodwaters. Would you think that kind of development appropriate? Most likely not.
I like development, just not dumb transactions that ignore the consequences.
“Flood plain development makes money,” said Bob Mulder, the former Raleigh Planning Commission chairman, “but also inevitably burdens taxpayers and endangers residents.
“People have known for years that you shouldn’t build in flood plains. The powers that be in Raleigh just don’t have the stomach to say we’re not going to do it anymore.
“We don’t learn from history, that’s for sure,” he said. “The blame primarily needs to go to our elected officials, going back many years, for not giving this enough thought.”
Should citizens have “sink or swim” worries not of their own doing?
Hmmm, isn’t Election Day approaching?

I just wanted to tell everyone that I’m very happy that you are all (except a few) excited about Costco coming to town! I just moved down here about 9 months ago from Idaho where Costco is EVERYWHERE, and everyone knows what a great company they are shopping with! Jim Senegal, the CEO, is awesome and he treats his employees like gold. I was very impressed by the fact that he came to the grand opening last week, in fact he has gone to all but 1 of the 494 grand openings. Pretty sure the same can’t be said for Sam’s/Walmart CEO. but that aside I just want let you all know that we’ve work VERY hard to get this store opened and it’s great when you guys come in and tell us that it’s paid off. Hope to see you guys there.
The Produce Guy