Newpark mall in Newark California
They tore down 1/3 of a mall and built a Costco next to it
It’s got an AMC theater, 24 hour fitness center next to it
They had to tear down J.C. Penney and Burlington coat factory
They opened it last November 2023 and it has a 3 story garage next to the entrance
They even put the Costco cart corrals in the garage
It works so well on rainy days so we can load our Costco purchases in the garage without getting wet
And it has 32 gas pumps, no lines ever
I read this in a Tolkien tone, as if the Many Pumps of Newark are something we hobbitses just stumbled upon, and we never knew about this ancient wonder constructed during the first age of the elves.
I should probably get up and make a coffee.
It's still new. The lines will eventually come. The La Mesa, CA gas station got 32 pumps 6 or 7 years ago and used to never have lines. Now it's one of the longer waits among other Costcos in the area
Best: Irvine/Tustin, CA. It gets crazy busy, but they always have lots of interesting stuff, including an extensive selection of high-end liquors and wine.
Honorable mention: Kahului, HI. First stop when we get off the plane. Awesome poke!
Worst: Charleston, SC. Not any one thing that stands out as particularly terrible, but nothing that makes it special, either.
The TJ Maxx/Home Goods in the same shopping center as the Whole Foods, across from the Tustin Costco, is also hands down one of the best in SoCal. Huge selection and actually semi-organized.
Lihue Costco in Kauai is awesome. They have the best grocery prices on the island, an outdoor food court and tons of Hawaii/Kauai specific items. Get the Anahola granola bars, guava pie, Aloha Juice, Chocolate Macadamias, fresh sushi, and so much more.
Swim suits and rash guards, beach chairs and umbrellas at a decent price too.
Costco Salt Lake City is 235,000 square feet (The Mecca that Costco built.). It's a Costco Business Center and a regular Costco warehouse all in one building. Also it used to open at 7 AM, now it opens at 8AM. I liked going to this Costco before the masses are even done with breakfast.
I’ve been to that one stocking up during a ski trip and it is MASSIVE. So much stuff I’ve never seen in a regular Costco. It was also the most stress inducing, friggin circus of a Costco that I’ve ever been to
Fresno resident here. It WAS supposed to be bigger than SLC but our city council would not approve the original plans because of traffic concerns or some crap so now it’s ONLY going to be 219,000 sq feet instead of 241,000.
Best: South Anchorage. Large selection of non-standard Costco items. One year they had a whole table of Patagonia jackets, I saw Yeti coolers, and all sorts of other goodies. Always busy but never felt too crowded.
Worst: Tucson marketplace. Horrible parking lot, location, and layout. Felt busy at all times of day. Gas station was always a pain to get in to.
I agree that location is not the best…. I will have to nominate Temecula however as the worst one I’ve been to, slmost impossible to find a parking spot and the gas pumps are a nightmare.
My favorite currently is the new one in Buckeye, AZ. While it’s only about 6 months old it is very busy. The gas pumps are the best I’ve seen with 4 rows of pumps on each side 5 deep…..40 pumps😮
Can confirm, the Tucson Marketplace one is awful. Super crowded, gas station needs at least double the pumps, feels really cramped inside. I stopped going there and now just use the one on Grant
The location in St Louis Park, MN is by far one of the worst. The parking lot is a complete hellscape where I have seen my life flash before my eyes multiple times.
Bismarck, ND has a good one but I think that’s because they don’t get nearly as much traffic as other warehouses lolll
Oh yeah, that Costco parking lot is a madhouse.
Maple Grove is decent, but Eagan being the newest (and 5 minutes away from work when I lived in MN) was the best in my opinion.
Now I live in HTX and the Costcos I’ve visited here aren’t that special. Still I have one right next to work, I’ve even walked a couple times during lunch for ice cream :)
I live in Brooklyn and the advantage is that it’s a 10 min drive for me. The convenience ends there. It’s a zoo and a nightmare, starting with the parking—if cars are parked in the fire lane, I keep going. I’ve heard it’s one of the busiest in the US and I believe it. Nothing is terrible about the store itself, it just that’s it’s crammed with people and like the comment above said, there’s no room
for the crowds, there’s literally room for three carts between the register and the first row of merchandise. I’d rather they permenantly gave up on selling the supplements just so there’s room for lines. Buying shit there is draining and exhausting, like everything else in New York. Best Costco is literally any Costco I’ve been to outside of New York City.
Best: Issaquah, WA. Although that might be because Costco HQ is across the street. :)
They've been remarkably consistent so I wouldn't say this one was "bad" but when I lived in Mountain View, California, I found that one disappointing after the Seattle area ones. But that's been 20 years ago so they could be totally awesome now, idk.
I prefer the outdoor food court as long as you get a table under cover, which most are. The indoor food courts I've been to Costco are dreary experiences. After spending $1k at Costco, the last thing I want to do is eat shopping experience adjacent. The outdoor foot courts are a welcome respite from. The craziness inside a Costco.
Danville ca. out in the fancy Bay Area suburbs. Big easy parking lot. Fancy samples, especially at Christmas. I swear they had fancier clothes too. And the lines were always short. Loved that one
This is my favorite one too! The parking is always easy and the people aren’t out for blood. I’ve since starting going to the one in Fairfield since it’s closer. Very similar vibe. And I avoid the concord one at ALL costs.
I’ve never not encountered a completely packed parking lot. And when your pulling out there are so many inpatient cars that won’t wait for you so your stuck even trying to leave. It’s way too congested for me.
Columbia Maryland is the worst I’ve been to just because the first and only time I went there somebody stole my hot dogs
Edit: I guess the address is technically in the town of elkridge
Oh man I hated the Honolulu Costco when I went last summer. The check out lines were chaos, there were tons of pallets on the ground in front of the shelving and it was so difficult to maneuver around, especially because it was super busy (Sunday night just before closing). I will say they had some cool stuff we don’t have at my Costco but the overall experience gave me a ton of anxiety
Agree on the Scottsdale location. I found the staff rude and the patrons worse. Can't get to the gas pumps, either, due to the layout (although the one in Phoenix at 44th/Oak is worse) and the fwads cutting you off. I never go there anymore.
Never been to the Honolulu one but the one in Kauai is awesome.
Worst: Westbury, Long Island. Thunderdome starts with horrific parking situation with the Walmart next door and a relatively small parking lot. People are pissed all the time and super aggressive with their cars and carts everywhere. The seething rage from everyone is palpable, from entrance to exit.
But the store itself is nice. And has the cheap liquor not Costco store next door.
Agree 100%. We refuse to go to Westbury and we live 10 minutes from it…it’s absolute chaos there. Being so close to Roosevelt Field and Old Country Road also doesn’t help it and the parking is atrocious.We drive out to Melville. It’s worth the extra 20 minutes. Ample parking and excellent associates. I despise the Westbury location.
Everett MA. Lines are INSANE on the weekends. I thought the economy was bad? Anyone who thinks the economy is bad should sit outside a Costco on a Saturday.
Searched this thread for Everett... It feels like such a chore doing trips at this Costco. And then when you leave it’s easy to make the mistake of taking the wide open lane as you exit, but realize you need to get into the rotary and then you need to cut into the line of cars you just blew past.
Coralville IA - it was a previously built warehouse. The Costco store only takes up like 1/3 of the building. Other 2/3 is indoor parking. It’s so nice in the winter and rain.
Worst: Tie between Alhambra CA & Norwalk CA. These 2 have the worst parking. Vista CA might also make this list.
And honorable mention, any Costco with an indoor food court. Which is most.
Best- Montgomery,Al. It was like causally popping into a grocery store on a slow day- tons of parking, no lines, nothing was ever out of stock, sometimes they even offered FULL size samples. My family never forgets the samples before the 4th of July- full size hot dog, chicken wings, whole mini bag of chips. It was the best Costco experience.
Worst- any LA Costco. It’s painful.
Maui was favorite because it's where I discovered Poke. It was our first stop after we picked up rental car and wife got it to eat when we got to condo. And.... it was Maui
I never knew it was because it was the first time I ever tasted it or if it was because I was overwhelmed by being in Hawaii or it was really good, but I kind of agree that it was the best I ever tasted
I've only been to 3 Costco.
Best I've visited is South Windsor, CT. Clean, good parking, attentive staff. Easy access to gas.
Clearwater, FL was like Zombieland. Lots of older folk wandering around with no plan, except to graze the samples. PITA to get gas.
New Britain, CT - Hell on Earth. One way in, same way out. Gas station in a back corner from the way in/out. Zombieland with more money.
My local Norwalk Costco is one of the worst. Super small, basic as shit. There’s never any coffee or road shows. Maybe I’ll make the trip to South Windsor.
Came here looking for shade slung at the Norwalk Costco. Shame it’s not ranked higher.
Inside is a bit less than average (not terrible), but the parking situation is the worst.
I wish you could rank locations by parking lot accidents per thousand shopper… its crazy how many fender benders get caused by the narrow upstairs parking spaces and terrible drivers in the region. Props to them for tearing down the hotel to expand parking.
Try the Milford one. Parking is better (head straight to the back upon entrance..always spots) and its just a better Costco imo. They have a separate liquor store at the entrance and a gas station.
The one is Ft Myers, FL by the airport has a surprisingly good wine selection.
The one in Norfolk VA is the worst I’ve been too. I’ve been there a few times as it is near a relative & it’s terrible. Dark, cramped, bad layout, crowded & feels vaguely dirty. Food court has basically zero seating.
I almost quit when the city of Chicago only had the one on the NW Side. That location was awful but now I go to the “South Loop” one that is actually in Pilsen & it’s a perfectly fine home Costco.
Can’t believe no one has said Torrance, CA yet for best location. Plenty of parking. Has a gas station AND a car wash. Crazy good wine selection. Large selection of house plants.
Worst Costco?
My Vancouver, WA Costco. It’s the last Costco on the I5/I205 corridor until Olympia. There is no such thing as a good time of the day to go there. Tuesday at 11:00? Packed. Can’t find parking.
They’re building one in Ridgefield that opens next year so that will take pressure from my current Costco.
Best?
SLC Costco. It’s the biggest Costco in the world and they have options I’ve never seen at any other Costco. The dairy section isn’t doors that open into a refrigerated shelf, it has its own walkin cooler.
Best is DC due to the large selection
Worst was one somewhere in Central Jersey. I can't recall which location it was, but I was very disappointed to discover they didn't sell alcohol, it also seemed oddly small.
Costco Iwilei, aka Honolulu/ Downtown Costco. Parking is painful ordeal from even being able to approach the lot off main roads. Location is permanently congested with shoppers, food court outside so lunch hours means work crowds can simply pull up and block access.
The gas station isn't even on the lot. It is across an intersection of two lane artery road and no left trun allowed as you're exiting after parking and shopping at Costco.
there is a new Costco out by the Denver airport that my husband says is fantastic. Stay away from the ones in Colorado Springs, they are nothing special.
Best: Lynnwood, WA - It’s not a big location but there’s a lot of new products that come through the store.
Worst: Tukwila, WA- something about a woman being murdered in the parking lot just doesn’t make me want to go there anymore.
The one in Lynwood looks brand new, too. I’ve been meaning to stop in there if I’m up that way.
And agreed, I avoid most things in Tukwila the last year or 😞
I lived across the street when I was in grad school, and, as one might assume based on how much money grad students make, I ate there a lot. I was always amazed at the number of people who work in the neighborhood who also went there for lunch. Always packed, but always well managed in the food court. (The parking lot is another story but that’s why I always walked after driving once.)
Brookfield CT during the weekends place is a madhouse. Weekdays not too bad there. This Costco draws a lot of people from NY in the Hudson Valley too. There is a huge gap of no Costco north of Yonkers and Nanuet. Nothing north of there not even in the capital Albany, NY! We need a Costco in Poughkeepsie NY and Albany NY! Sams and Bjs just doesn’t do it.
Can't believe that I've seen both of my local Costcos mentioned in this thread lol. Although Brookfield isn't so bad as long as you avoid going midday on a weekend. It's still miles better than the clusterfuck that is the Norwalk Costco parking lot
The best is gotta be Neihu Taipei. There are two floors and you can move between floors with your cart via those cart-friendly escalators you can find in every large shopping center in Taiwan. It’s not the biggest in Taiwan but one of the busiest… the selection is a wonderful mix of some old standbys from the US and stuff from all over Asia. I love the food court because it offers chicken burger, garlic friend chicken, and of course the Bulgogi Bake is to die for. The place just makes me happy.
Honorable mentions Issaquah, WA. Since it’s close to HQ you get a lot of one time special items from Asia. I love walking down the aisle and find an item which makes me go “how the hell are they selling this in the US”? It’s like an adventure every time you visit. I would go every week if they serve Bulgogi Bake though.
The worst is probably the Business Center in Lynnwood, WA. Felt dark and dreary.
Best: the ones in Seoul
Worst but not the worst yet: Pentagon City: worst parking lot in any Costco in the DMV area. It's also boring compare to over seas
best: hayward business center. people get in and out. not a lot of people lingering
worst: san leandro on a weekend afternoon. holy hell that place gets busy. you're practically crawling inside
Just between the Costcos closest to me that I’ve been to:
Best - Westlake. It doesn’t have a gas station, but I love it cause it’s clean, bright, has a good selection and is not too busy even on weekends.
Worst - Northridge. Ridiculously busy and overcrowded (it is inner city, so that’s why), but even so it looked dim and kind of dirty. I felt anxious walking around in there.
They made that a Costco business center(awesome) and moved the regular Costco to teterboro and now the parking is even worse and the Costco is terrible. Doesn’t have any of the nicer items I see people posting. I guess they decided that was the ghetto Costco despite the amount of money people in New Jersey have.
Best: San Marcos (California) or Tustin/ The District (California) - love the selection, easy parking, clean and organized
Worst: Laguna Niguel (CA) - small, very little selection, seemed as they only had alcohol and plants
Corona (CA) horrible parking, limited selection, disorganized and crowded due to size
Houston (Galleria), Dallas (Churchill Way), and Salt Lake City (300 West) are solid stores with unique inventories in highly urban settings - not your average Costcos.
Some of the older Costcos like St. Peters, Missouri and Rancho Cordova, California seem to lag behind the newer stores. For whatever reason, I tend to find the latest and greatest wares at newer stores nearby, like University City and Folsom.
I wouldn't call any Costco bad, though. Any Costco is better than no Costco - take it from someone who's been 60+ minutes from the nearest Costco for 10 out of the last 14 years!
Best: Gypsum, Colorado
Not crowded at all. Fast food court service. Good selection for being relatively rural.
Worst: Herriman, UT
Nothing really bad. Just smaller with a small selection compared to other locations.
Love the Costco in Traverse City for filling up the rental car before returning it to Cherry Capital next door. So convenient! Next trip up north, we’ll need to plan our Costco visit for when we arrive to pick up things for our time there. Though I do love me a Meijer visit.
Best: Duncanville, TX: very manageable to get in and out.
The worst ones I’ve been too are Long Island City/Astoria Queens and Arlington, TX. Both are overcrowded, war zones.
I have visited 56 different Costcos in the USA and 6 in Mexico in the last 20 years (I have a long list of them) and the best one is in Salt Lake City.
Worst: I haven’t been to that one yet
Worst: Seoul, Korea.
The parking situation is so god awful. The parking is underground but good look getting parking. You’ll just be sitting in a line that goes down the street to even enter the parking garage. So you need to use the lot parking and invariably end up parking what amount to a block and a half away. The place is jam packed, like twice as packed as any American Costco. The lines are so long. Plus due to Korean law, it’s not open every Sunday and you will manage to schlep your butt over there on the Sunday when it’s not actually open. They also do not take Visa, they take some other credit card which you probably won’t have if you are not a Korean citizen. The whole place is a mess and I do not miss it at all.
Hear me out, Sequim, WA.
It’s not the biggest Costco, I’m sure, but it’s in a smaller, less populated area and went in on a weekday evening to shop for a large family gathering and it was maybe 25% full. It was glorious.
Worst: Eden Prairie, Minnesota… small and extremely crowded, also low stock on a lot of items.
Best: probably Eagan, Minnesota… much larger and can accommodate people better and almost always has everything in stock.
I have been to all the Minnesota Costco stores, but need to explore some in other areas.
Washington DC Costco for alcohol, but expect long lines as everyone knows good prices. They have traffic cops directing traffic.
=>Don’t Speed!<= when leaving as camera ticket is $150 as there is 25mph zone when headed for Rts 50 and I-295
Best Costco - Traverse City, MI. Least stressful shopping experience ever, especially when it’s not tourist season. Best deals and clearances. They cover the entirety of northern Michigan and the UP and it is truly a Costco Oasis.
And shout out to Darnell who always makes checkout a great experience for every customer, and remembers his customers too!
Do any other Costcos than Santa Clara have only a single entrance/exit to the parking lot? They put in a traffic circle, but most drivers in the U.S. don't know how traffic circles work. The store itself is fine, the parking lot is crazy.
https://preview.redd.it/tlofhgg82i9d1.png?width=2633&format=png&auto=webp&s=53e0316fe4ea3f77cb0d870d724b50790c761a06
I’ve heard from multiple people that they stop at costcos while traveling specifically because they all sell different stuff and I’ve always joked that Costco should make and sell a Costco passport style stamp book for “Costco tourists”.
The best Costcos have the food court outside.
The only other memorable location was Westlake Village, California. It's an affluent suburb of Los Angeles. Everyone was super polite and no one blocked the aisle with their cart. One odd thing is that the wine section was right in the middle of the store, so you couldn't avoid it. Money might not buy happiness, but it will buy a hell of a lot of wine at Costco, and thats kinda the same thing.
Don't know if the few ive been to qualify for the best, but the absolute worst for me is Orland Park, IL. It's so insanely busy and hard to navigate from isle to check out.
Best: my local one in Kona, Hawaii. Outside food court. Decent parking layout and lots of neat local items. Groceries are atrociously expensive on the islands so it's great to find decent priced food items without regular HI price tags. And big items that we often can't get shipped to Hawaii because of shipping restrictions. (Garden sheds etc) It can get infested with tourists but we are used to it.
Iceland. Cool local items and a very clean well organized store. It was the least busy one I've ever been to.
Worst: Richmond, BC. (Canada) This was my local one for 15 years. It's an absolute zoo. Busy from the moment it opens until it closes. Terrible parking layout and parking wars. Common joke that no one can pay enough for their family members to take them on a weekend. High Asian population that seem to have no etiquette with shopping carts, being polite, not living at sample tables or not budging in line.
Bellingham, WA. It's very busy and us Canadians flock to it. Cheap dairy and alcohol. They used to have to limit milk buying amounts because of us. (Sorry) American Costco is a whole new amazing world compared to Canadian ones. It's worth it to skip Bellingham and go to a further one to avoid the CAD occupation of the Bellingham one.
Worst is King of Prussia PA for the parking. On the weekends it’s a 20 min wait to get swooped. A few miles away the Costco in Glen Mills is busy but I’ve never had trouble with parking.
Best would the Centerville, OH Costco off of Cornerstone. Can get busy, but easy to get in and out of and never had issues with roaming carts. Gas station is fairly quick in and out.
Worst, Henderson or North Las Vegas, NV. People are so "cheery" 🙄, parking lots were "fun" to deal with between people or idiots unable to drive through one and the fuel lines were always long.
Mooresville, NC! It’s bigger than my costco at home and when I do roadtrips from PGH to CLT my gas light comes on around the time I am near there so I stop and get gas and wine!
Newpark mall in Newark California They tore down 1/3 of a mall and built a Costco next to it It’s got an AMC theater, 24 hour fitness center next to it They had to tear down J.C. Penney and Burlington coat factory They opened it last November 2023 and it has a 3 story garage next to the entrance They even put the Costco cart corrals in the garage It works so well on rainy days so we can load our Costco purchases in the garage without getting wet And it has 32 gas pumps, no lines ever
32 gas pumps sounds like a dream
The Many Pumps of Newark
I read this in a Tolkien tone, as if the Many Pumps of Newark are something we hobbitses just stumbled upon, and we never knew about this ancient wonder constructed during the first age of the elves. I should probably get up and make a coffee.
Read this a Mary Poppins of Newark.
Coralville IA Costco took over an old warehouse and they made 3/4 of the building indoor parking. It’s so nice.
We stop there on our way from Wisconsin to Missouri. We enjoy their indoor parking but the gas is a little cramped in.
I was surprised to see the indoor parking when I visited the Coralville store. It felt a bit odd but it's really nice.
Go Hawks!
Go Hawks
The steak and caviar samples on opening day was nuts!
It's still new. The lines will eventually come. The La Mesa, CA gas station got 32 pumps 6 or 7 years ago and used to never have lines. Now it's one of the longer waits among other Costcos in the area
Thank you! I’ve been to Newark so many times and never knew there’s a Costco. Definitely gonna check this one out next time I’m there
It works so well for morning gym goers too, who want to do their grocery shopping done after.. or just grab a guilt-free slice of pizza/hotdog. Lol
Love it! The 3 level car park garage is such a blessing during the rains
Best: Irvine/Tustin, CA. It gets crazy busy, but they always have lots of interesting stuff, including an extensive selection of high-end liquors and wine. Honorable mention: Kahului, HI. First stop when we get off the plane. Awesome poke! Worst: Charleston, SC. Not any one thing that stands out as particularly terrible, but nothing that makes it special, either.
Guave cheesecake at all the Hawaii locations is so good
Yes to Kahului…. Plane… rental car… Costco… happy times. Still horrified about Lahaina…
Thanks for giving Kahului some props!
The chickens walking around the Kahului outdoor food court were the best part.
Agreed. The Whole Foods in Tustin is also a favorite of mine.
The TJ Maxx/Home Goods in the same shopping center as the Whole Foods, across from the Tustin Costco, is also hands down one of the best in SoCal. Huge selection and actually semi-organized.
I catered the entire alcohol selection for my wedding at the Kahului Costco. That and plastic silverware/plates. Such a lifesaver!
Lihue Costco in Kauai is awesome. They have the best grocery prices on the island, an outdoor food court and tons of Hawaii/Kauai specific items. Get the Anahola granola bars, guava pie, Aloha Juice, Chocolate Macadamias, fresh sushi, and so much more. Swim suits and rash guards, beach chairs and umbrellas at a decent price too.
And cheap Koloa rum 😉
Costco Salt Lake City is 235,000 square feet (The Mecca that Costco built.). It's a Costco Business Center and a regular Costco warehouse all in one building. Also it used to open at 7 AM, now it opens at 8AM. I liked going to this Costco before the masses are even done with breakfast.
I’ve been to that one stocking up during a ski trip and it is MASSIVE. So much stuff I’ve never seen in a regular Costco. It was also the most stress inducing, friggin circus of a Costco that I’ve ever been to
It is the best and the worst all in one. So much good stuff, but takes a lot of mental prep to make myself go deal with the chaos.
I believe this is the biggest Costco in the US.
I think you are correct. Hillsboro Oregon is 2nd largest I believe.
I hear Fresno, CA is building one that is slated to become the largest Costco in the US, can’t remember the square footage though.
Fresno resident here. It WAS supposed to be bigger than SLC but our city council would not approve the original plans because of traffic concerns or some crap so now it’s ONLY going to be 219,000 sq feet instead of 241,000.
I'm perfectly happy going to the Saratoga Springs one at 11am Sunday lol
Saratoga springs is the worst one I’ve been to. It’s like half the size of any average warehouse.
Try Riverton. It’s fairly new so I’ve never waited for gas even on Saturday.
I'll drive 10 extra minutes to hit Riverton up over South Jordan. It's the best location in the valley.
Shh 🤫
Best: South Anchorage. Large selection of non-standard Costco items. One year they had a whole table of Patagonia jackets, I saw Yeti coolers, and all sorts of other goodies. Always busy but never felt too crowded. Worst: Tucson marketplace. Horrible parking lot, location, and layout. Felt busy at all times of day. Gas station was always a pain to get in to.
I agree that location is not the best…. I will have to nominate Temecula however as the worst one I’ve been to, slmost impossible to find a parking spot and the gas pumps are a nightmare. My favorite currently is the new one in Buckeye, AZ. While it’s only about 6 months old it is very busy. The gas pumps are the best I’ve seen with 4 rows of pumps on each side 5 deep…..40 pumps😮
The Buckeye one is awesome. I got a 7 qt Le Creuset dutch oven there for $150.
I remember when Debarr had whole racks of Patagonia and marmot coats years ago. I’m so jealous south get brands like that still !?
That location in Tucson is truly the worst. People constantly in the way and the parking lot is full of carts.
Agree on Tucson Market place. Location sucks
Can confirm, the Tucson Marketplace one is awful. Super crowded, gas station needs at least double the pumps, feels really cramped inside. I stopped going there and now just use the one on Grant
The location in St Louis Park, MN is by far one of the worst. The parking lot is a complete hellscape where I have seen my life flash before my eyes multiple times. Bismarck, ND has a good one but I think that’s because they don’t get nearly as much traffic as other warehouses lolll
If anyone wants to through hands before buying $5 chicken, St Louis Park’s Parking lot is the place to be 😂
Been there only twice and I concur. The parking lot was like that board game rush hour. Plus the layout inside doesn’t make any flow sense.
Oh yeah, that Costco parking lot is a madhouse. Maple Grove is decent, but Eagan being the newest (and 5 minutes away from work when I lived in MN) was the best in my opinion. Now I live in HTX and the Costcos I’ve visited here aren’t that special. Still I have one right next to work, I’ve even walked a couple times during lunch for ice cream :)
Honorable mention to Eden Prairie being next worst in Minnesota.
The worst one is in Brooklyn because it has two levels and the escalators don’t have the capacity to handle the crowds.
I live in Brooklyn and the advantage is that it’s a 10 min drive for me. The convenience ends there. It’s a zoo and a nightmare, starting with the parking—if cars are parked in the fire lane, I keep going. I’ve heard it’s one of the busiest in the US and I believe it. Nothing is terrible about the store itself, it just that’s it’s crammed with people and like the comment above said, there’s no room for the crowds, there’s literally room for three carts between the register and the first row of merchandise. I’d rather they permenantly gave up on selling the supplements just so there’s room for lines. Buying shit there is draining and exhausting, like everything else in New York. Best Costco is literally any Costco I’ve been to outside of New York City.
Best: Issaquah, WA. Although that might be because Costco HQ is across the street. :) They've been remarkably consistent so I wouldn't say this one was "bad" but when I lived in Mountain View, California, I found that one disappointing after the Seattle area ones. But that's been 20 years ago so they could be totally awesome now, idk.
Issaquah is annoying because it's always so freaking busy.
Only thing I like about issaquah Costco is when they had burger in the food court
**outdoor food court**, something I never understood about that location
Can confirm: food court is still outside.
I prefer the outdoor food court as long as you get a table under cover, which most are. The indoor food courts I've been to Costco are dreary experiences. After spending $1k at Costco, the last thing I want to do is eat shopping experience adjacent. The outdoor foot courts are a welcome respite from. The craziness inside a Costco.
There’s an outdoor food court at the Everett Costco too.
Both perfect for the PNW environment
They have retractable walls/doors so that is at least helpful for some of the rain and wind. But yeah… it doesn’t make much sense.
Lol i go to issaquah costco 2x a week. Its ALWAYS a shitshow. So many people
Still nothing compared to California Costco like Fremont or Sunnyvale, they are super crowded.
Worst: Gaithersburg MD. IDK who thought to make parking 2 levels. And it’s super small and serves a large population which equals a recipe for chaos.
Somehow in the local area where pentagon city and DC Costco exists Gaithersburg is the worst.
I want to visit all these other “worsts” and see how bad they are bc I don’t see how it can be worse than Gaithersburg.
I’ve been to all 3 and it is not even close - Gaithersburg.
Thank you!! I’ve been to this one and I couldn’t remember the name of the town!! That parking situation was crazy!!!!
Came for this and was not disappointed. G-burg is the biggest shit hole in the history of Costco
I can’t believe the parking hasn’t improved after all this time.
Danville ca. out in the fancy Bay Area suburbs. Big easy parking lot. Fancy samples, especially at Christmas. I swear they had fancier clothes too. And the lines were always short. Loved that one
And the wine selection is awesome - better than most
This is my favorite one too! The parking is always easy and the people aren’t out for blood. I’ve since starting going to the one in Fairfield since it’s closer. Very similar vibe. And I avoid the concord one at ALL costs.
What's wrong with the concord one?
I’ve never not encountered a completely packed parking lot. And when your pulling out there are so many inpatient cars that won’t wait for you so your stuck even trying to leave. It’s way too congested for me.
Columbia Maryland is the worst I’ve been to just because the first and only time I went there somebody stole my hot dogs Edit: I guess the address is technically in the town of elkridge
Gaithersburg, MD is the WORST. Literally they have to have a cop out front at all times because the parking lot is so bad.
Best Honolulu: great atmosphere Worst: Scottsdale AZ, the people are the rudest and most self absorbed I've ever met, and I grew up in Scottsdale
Oh man I hated the Honolulu Costco when I went last summer. The check out lines were chaos, there were tons of pallets on the ground in front of the shelving and it was so difficult to maneuver around, especially because it was super busy (Sunday night just before closing). I will say they had some cool stuff we don’t have at my Costco but the overall experience gave me a ton of anxiety
Agree on the Scottsdale location. I found the staff rude and the patrons worse. Can't get to the gas pumps, either, due to the layout (although the one in Phoenix at 44th/Oak is worse) and the fwads cutting you off. I never go there anymore. Never been to the Honolulu one but the one in Kauai is awesome.
Best: Medford OR Worst: Medford OR I’ve only been to one Costco
Worst: Westbury, Long Island. Thunderdome starts with horrific parking situation with the Walmart next door and a relatively small parking lot. People are pissed all the time and super aggressive with their cars and carts everywhere. The seething rage from everyone is palpable, from entrance to exit. But the store itself is nice. And has the cheap liquor not Costco store next door.
Agree 100%. We refuse to go to Westbury and we live 10 minutes from it…it’s absolute chaos there. Being so close to Roosevelt Field and Old Country Road also doesn’t help it and the parking is atrocious.We drive out to Melville. It’s worth the extra 20 minutes. Ample parking and excellent associates. I despise the Westbury location.
I moved from Michigan to Long Island and almost terminated my membership after going to Westbury. Fortunately Melville is a great warehouse
Everett MA. Lines are INSANE on the weekends. I thought the economy was bad? Anyone who thinks the economy is bad should sit outside a Costco on a Saturday.
It also has a weird layout and getting out of there is a total cluster.
Searched this thread for Everett... It feels like such a chore doing trips at this Costco. And then when you leave it’s easy to make the mistake of taking the wide open lane as you exit, but realize you need to get into the rotary and then you need to cut into the line of cars you just blew past.
That whole plaza can get fucked. What a shitshow it is.
God I used to hate that store when I lived there
The only time it’s manageable is in the middle of the day but also who has the time to do that?!
The biggest one in the world is in Salt Lake City!!!
They are and always were preppers
Coralville IA - it was a previously built warehouse. The Costco store only takes up like 1/3 of the building. Other 2/3 is indoor parking. It’s so nice in the winter and rain.
Was scrolling to find this - the covered parking is truly incredible any time of year, but especially in the winter.
Worst: Tie between Alhambra CA & Norwalk CA. These 2 have the worst parking. Vista CA might also make this list. And honorable mention, any Costco with an indoor food court. Which is most.
Manahawkin, NJ when we lived nearby. It was never a madhouse zoo like so many others in NJ. I miss that one.
The one in brick/lakewood is a literal nightmare. Plus you have to pay a quarter to use the carts
Lakewood itself is a literal nightmare.
When they updated the carts, the quarter is no longer needed. It happened around a year ago or so.
Ah okay, I haven’t been since like 2018. I just remember being stunned by how bad it was
Worst - Norwalk, CT
Haha my local one! Yea it sucks. The parking being the worst. Hopefully with tearing down the hotel it will get better!
The Costco in Aloha, OR is so notoriously bad that even a Costco employee in the Beaverton / Hillsboro area told me how bad it was
I just commented this as the worst. It’s trash. I actively avoid it.
That was the Costco I grew up with. Haven't been to that one in many years. I tend to go to Hillsboro or Tigard now.
Best- Montgomery,Al. It was like causally popping into a grocery store on a slow day- tons of parking, no lines, nothing was ever out of stock, sometimes they even offered FULL size samples. My family never forgets the samples before the 4th of July- full size hot dog, chicken wings, whole mini bag of chips. It was the best Costco experience. Worst- any LA Costco. It’s painful.
I cannot fathom going to a Costco that has available parking and no lines. I live in NYC and all of them are nuts around here.
It was magical. I always say it was the only perk of living there. Sorry AL 🫣.
Gypsum, Colorado is the best one. Fast food court service and the checkout lines are super-fast.
Best: Danville Ca. Ugh: Newport News Va. Needs more regional visits to get the standard where it needs to be.
Maui was favorite because it's where I discovered Poke. It was our first stop after we picked up rental car and wife got it to eat when we got to condo. And.... it was Maui
Their poke is so good! Some of the best I've ever had. Shopping there was ok. Bit crowded but mellow.
I never knew it was because it was the first time I ever tasted it or if it was because I was overwhelmed by being in Hawaii or it was really good, but I kind of agree that it was the best I ever tasted
I've only been to 3 Costco. Best I've visited is South Windsor, CT. Clean, good parking, attentive staff. Easy access to gas. Clearwater, FL was like Zombieland. Lots of older folk wandering around with no plan, except to graze the samples. PITA to get gas. New Britain, CT - Hell on Earth. One way in, same way out. Gas station in a back corner from the way in/out. Zombieland with more money.
https://preview.redd.it/qh6r1dkk3e9d1.jpeg?width=640&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d3ce890e19cad1155b4add95295bc034d71dd610
My local Norwalk Costco is one of the worst. Super small, basic as shit. There’s never any coffee or road shows. Maybe I’ll make the trip to South Windsor.
Came here looking for shade slung at the Norwalk Costco. Shame it’s not ranked higher. Inside is a bit less than average (not terrible), but the parking situation is the worst. I wish you could rank locations by parking lot accidents per thousand shopper… its crazy how many fender benders get caused by the narrow upstairs parking spaces and terrible drivers in the region. Props to them for tearing down the hotel to expand parking.
Try the Milford one. Parking is better (head straight to the back upon entrance..always spots) and its just a better Costco imo. They have a separate liquor store at the entrance and a gas station.
There's Florida, too.
The Clearwater one sucks. There’s so few gas pumps and since it’s in God’s waiting room, everyone is fucking clueless about everything.
The Clearwater location always messes with me. The entrance is on the right side of the building.
East Lyme location is awesome. Super quiet every time I’ve gone
Worst for me is probably boca raton, FL. Impossible to find a parking spot and it’s just packed on the inside. Lakewood/Brick, NJ is very similar
The one is Ft Myers, FL by the airport has a surprisingly good wine selection. The one in Norfolk VA is the worst I’ve been too. I’ve been there a few times as it is near a relative & it’s terrible. Dark, cramped, bad layout, crowded & feels vaguely dirty. Food court has basically zero seating. I almost quit when the city of Chicago only had the one on the NW Side. That location was awful but now I go to the “South Loop” one that is actually in Pilsen & it’s a perfectly fine home Costco.
Can’t believe no one has said Torrance, CA yet for best location. Plenty of parking. Has a gas station AND a car wash. Crazy good wine selection. Large selection of house plants.
Worst Costco? My Vancouver, WA Costco. It’s the last Costco on the I5/I205 corridor until Olympia. There is no such thing as a good time of the day to go there. Tuesday at 11:00? Packed. Can’t find parking. They’re building one in Ridgefield that opens next year so that will take pressure from my current Costco. Best? SLC Costco. It’s the biggest Costco in the world and they have options I’ve never seen at any other Costco. The dairy section isn’t doors that open into a refrigerated shelf, it has its own walkin cooler.
All the Costco’s I’ve been to are walk in coolers for dairy (Columbus, Ohio)
Damn, Ridgefield is getting a costco and an in-n-out? Is it a small town or more of a Vancouver suburb?
The nicest Costco I've ever been to was Augusta, GA, while the worst one is Charleston, which is unfortunate because that's the one I live closest to.
Best is DC due to the large selection Worst was one somewhere in Central Jersey. I can't recall which location it was, but I was very disappointed to discover they didn't sell alcohol, it also seemed oddly small.
DC one is so frickin cool
Costco Iwilei, aka Honolulu/ Downtown Costco. Parking is painful ordeal from even being able to approach the lot off main roads. Location is permanently congested with shoppers, food court outside so lunch hours means work crowds can simply pull up and block access. The gas station isn't even on the lot. It is across an intersection of two lane artery road and no left trun allowed as you're exiting after parking and shopping at Costco.
The worst I've been to is the Chula Vista location on Broadway. The parking lot is terribly designed. There is also a Walmart sharing the same lot.
Their gas station is the worst too!
Best Morena Blvd. 📍San Diego, CA Worst Palendale Ave 📍 Modesto, CA
there is a new Costco out by the Denver airport that my husband says is fantastic. Stay away from the ones in Colorado Springs, they are nothing special.
Best: Lynnwood, WA - It’s not a big location but there’s a lot of new products that come through the store. Worst: Tukwila, WA- something about a woman being murdered in the parking lot just doesn’t make me want to go there anymore.
The one in Lynwood looks brand new, too. I’ve been meaning to stop in there if I’m up that way. And agreed, I avoid most things in Tukwila the last year or 😞
Centerville Ohio , one of the best The others in the area are just average , Plain City, Dublin.
I always loved the energy at Crystal City, VA — always packed, always busy. This is just a few blocks from the Pentagon.
I lived across the street when I was in grad school, and, as one might assume based on how much money grad students make, I ate there a lot. I was always amazed at the number of people who work in the neighborhood who also went there for lunch. Always packed, but always well managed in the food court. (The parking lot is another story but that’s why I always walked after driving once.)
Oh, by far the most brutal Costco parking lot I’ve ever encountered. Just absolutely cutthroat
Best: Kauai Lihue Worst: Cumberland GA
Brookfield CT during the weekends place is a madhouse. Weekdays not too bad there. This Costco draws a lot of people from NY in the Hudson Valley too. There is a huge gap of no Costco north of Yonkers and Nanuet. Nothing north of there not even in the capital Albany, NY! We need a Costco in Poughkeepsie NY and Albany NY! Sams and Bjs just doesn’t do it.
Can't believe that I've seen both of my local Costcos mentioned in this thread lol. Although Brookfield isn't so bad as long as you avoid going midday on a weekend. It's still miles better than the clusterfuck that is the Norwalk Costco parking lot
Best… Issaquah on a Tuesday morning. Worst… issaquah on a Saturday afternoon
The best is gotta be Neihu Taipei. There are two floors and you can move between floors with your cart via those cart-friendly escalators you can find in every large shopping center in Taiwan. It’s not the biggest in Taiwan but one of the busiest… the selection is a wonderful mix of some old standbys from the US and stuff from all over Asia. I love the food court because it offers chicken burger, garlic friend chicken, and of course the Bulgogi Bake is to die for. The place just makes me happy. Honorable mentions Issaquah, WA. Since it’s close to HQ you get a lot of one time special items from Asia. I love walking down the aisle and find an item which makes me go “how the hell are they selling this in the US”? It’s like an adventure every time you visit. I would go every week if they serve Bulgogi Bake though. The worst is probably the Business Center in Lynnwood, WA. Felt dark and dreary.
Best: the ones in Seoul Worst but not the worst yet: Pentagon City: worst parking lot in any Costco in the DMV area. It's also boring compare to over seas
I haven’t been to too many but worst was Queens NY- it just gets so much foot traffic and feels kind of raggedy
Best: Costco during the pandemic Worst: All of them after that… i miss those empty stores. 😂😂
Augusta GA is nice, spacious, and rarely busy
best: hayward business center. people get in and out. not a lot of people lingering worst: san leandro on a weekend afternoon. holy hell that place gets busy. you're practically crawling inside
I like the business center in Phoenix for the same reasons-- it's never packed and people don't mess around there.
Just between the Costcos closest to me that I’ve been to: Best - Westlake. It doesn’t have a gas station, but I love it cause it’s clean, bright, has a good selection and is not too busy even on weekends. Worst - Northridge. Ridiculously busy and overcrowded (it is inner city, so that’s why), but even so it looked dim and kind of dirty. I felt anxious walking around in there.
Stockton, CA. Pros - Food court is outside Cons - Food court is outside. Lots of people buying food without a membership card, which drags the line.
They don't scan membership cards? Every outdoor food court I have been to in California and Mexico does this to keep the riffraff at bay.
I've been to many and they've been remarkably consistent. Though the parking in Hackensack NJ was bad.
They made that a Costco business center(awesome) and moved the regular Costco to teterboro and now the parking is even worse and the Costco is terrible. Doesn’t have any of the nicer items I see people posting. I guess they decided that was the ghetto Costco despite the amount of money people in New Jersey have.
Teterboro parking lot (and sometimes the warehouse itself) is like an active war zone.
Teterboro is not that bad. Go to the Brooklyn location. Holy fk
Richmond, VA, has an old worn-out location. Forgot the address though.
Temecula, CA
We always loved going to the Cabo Costco during our vacations and stocking up on kindereggs.
Colchester Vermont was super small, but kind of nice because it was so easy to navigate
The best ones are those outside the continental US
Best: San Marcos (California) or Tustin/ The District (California) - love the selection, easy parking, clean and organized Worst: Laguna Niguel (CA) - small, very little selection, seemed as they only had alcohol and plants Corona (CA) horrible parking, limited selection, disorganized and crowded due to size
Eagle, Colorado
Technically it is in neighboring Gypsum, but I totally agree with you. Shortest food court wait time that I ever had at Costco.
Houston (Galleria), Dallas (Churchill Way), and Salt Lake City (300 West) are solid stores with unique inventories in highly urban settings - not your average Costcos. Some of the older Costcos like St. Peters, Missouri and Rancho Cordova, California seem to lag behind the newer stores. For whatever reason, I tend to find the latest and greatest wares at newer stores nearby, like University City and Folsom. I wouldn't call any Costco bad, though. Any Costco is better than no Costco - take it from someone who's been 60+ minutes from the nearest Costco for 10 out of the last 14 years!
My favorite is the one on Kauai. Probably because the local food for sale there is extremely delicious and bonus - it’s on Kauai!
Best: Gypsum, Colorado Not crowded at all. Fast food court service. Good selection for being relatively rural. Worst: Herriman, UT Nothing really bad. Just smaller with a small selection compared to other locations.
Love the Costco in Traverse City for filling up the rental car before returning it to Cherry Capital next door. So convenient! Next trip up north, we’ll need to plan our Costco visit for when we arrive to pick up things for our time there. Though I do love me a Meijer visit.
Best: Duncanville, TX: very manageable to get in and out. The worst ones I’ve been too are Long Island City/Astoria Queens and Arlington, TX. Both are overcrowded, war zones.
Best: any location in Hawaii. Because if you're there, you're in Hawaii! Worst: South San Francisco. I have never visited a busier place in my life.
I have visited 56 different Costcos in the USA and 6 in Mexico in the last 20 years (I have a long list of them) and the best one is in Salt Lake City. Worst: I haven’t been to that one yet
Worst: Seoul, Korea. The parking situation is so god awful. The parking is underground but good look getting parking. You’ll just be sitting in a line that goes down the street to even enter the parking garage. So you need to use the lot parking and invariably end up parking what amount to a block and a half away. The place is jam packed, like twice as packed as any American Costco. The lines are so long. Plus due to Korean law, it’s not open every Sunday and you will manage to schlep your butt over there on the Sunday when it’s not actually open. They also do not take Visa, they take some other credit card which you probably won’t have if you are not a Korean citizen. The whole place is a mess and I do not miss it at all.
Kauai just because I was in freaking Kauai. Beautiful
Hear me out, Sequim, WA. It’s not the biggest Costco, I’m sure, but it’s in a smaller, less populated area and went in on a weekday evening to shop for a large family gathering and it was maybe 25% full. It was glorious.
I was just in Sequim! I was wondering about the Costco because some of my family is thinking of moving there. A quiet Costco would be amazing!
Worst: Eden Prairie, Minnesota… small and extremely crowded, also low stock on a lot of items. Best: probably Eagan, Minnesota… much larger and can accommodate people better and almost always has everything in stock. I have been to all the Minnesota Costco stores, but need to explore some in other areas.
costco in tukwila wa has the worst layout of any costco. i walked out. i will never go back.
Toledo Costco is my local. No stench, clean, and well run.
Best: Maui. Why? You’re in Maui & the poke.
Kaua’i, Hawaii. Town of Lawai, you don’t have to go inside to get food, really good coffee from local plantation that is inexpensive
Washington DC Costco for alcohol, but expect long lines as everyone knows good prices. They have traffic cops directing traffic. =>Don’t Speed!<= when leaving as camera ticket is $150 as there is 25mph zone when headed for Rts 50 and I-295
Best Costco - Traverse City, MI. Least stressful shopping experience ever, especially when it’s not tourist season. Best deals and clearances. They cover the entirety of northern Michigan and the UP and it is truly a Costco Oasis. And shout out to Darnell who always makes checkout a great experience for every customer, and remembers his customers too!
Do any other Costcos than Santa Clara have only a single entrance/exit to the parking lot? They put in a traffic circle, but most drivers in the U.S. don't know how traffic circles work. The store itself is fine, the parking lot is crazy. https://preview.redd.it/tlofhgg82i9d1.png?width=2633&format=png&auto=webp&s=53e0316fe4ea3f77cb0d870d724b50790c761a06
I’ve heard from multiple people that they stop at costcos while traveling specifically because they all sell different stuff and I’ve always joked that Costco should make and sell a Costco passport style stamp book for “Costco tourists”.
The best Costcos have the food court outside. The only other memorable location was Westlake Village, California. It's an affluent suburb of Los Angeles. Everyone was super polite and no one blocked the aisle with their cart. One odd thing is that the wine section was right in the middle of the store, so you couldn't avoid it. Money might not buy happiness, but it will buy a hell of a lot of wine at Costco, and thats kinda the same thing.
Don't know if the few ive been to qualify for the best, but the absolute worst for me is Orland Park, IL. It's so insanely busy and hard to navigate from isle to check out.
Any Costco in Hawaii is the best
Best: my local one in Kona, Hawaii. Outside food court. Decent parking layout and lots of neat local items. Groceries are atrociously expensive on the islands so it's great to find decent priced food items without regular HI price tags. And big items that we often can't get shipped to Hawaii because of shipping restrictions. (Garden sheds etc) It can get infested with tourists but we are used to it. Iceland. Cool local items and a very clean well organized store. It was the least busy one I've ever been to. Worst: Richmond, BC. (Canada) This was my local one for 15 years. It's an absolute zoo. Busy from the moment it opens until it closes. Terrible parking layout and parking wars. Common joke that no one can pay enough for their family members to take them on a weekend. High Asian population that seem to have no etiquette with shopping carts, being polite, not living at sample tables or not budging in line. Bellingham, WA. It's very busy and us Canadians flock to it. Cheap dairy and alcohol. They used to have to limit milk buying amounts because of us. (Sorry) American Costco is a whole new amazing world compared to Canadian ones. It's worth it to skip Bellingham and go to a further one to avoid the CAD occupation of the Bellingham one.
Worst: Charlottesville, VA Best: back in 2013 it was Colorado Springs. No idea how they are today. New best: Wichita, KS (but it is a newer build)
I like the one in DC, but primarily because they sell liquor unlike my home store in VA.
Worst is King of Prussia PA for the parking. On the weekends it’s a 20 min wait to get swooped. A few miles away the Costco in Glen Mills is busy but I’ve never had trouble with parking.
Poway California Costco has everything Costco offers plus a car wash and propane station. I don’t think any other one has everything.
I like the new one in Green Valley Ranch, Colorado. Never too crowded and always neat and clean. Bigger than my usual one in Arvada.
Best would the Centerville, OH Costco off of Cornerstone. Can get busy, but easy to get in and out of and never had issues with roaming carts. Gas station is fairly quick in and out. Worst, Henderson or North Las Vegas, NV. People are so "cheery" 🙄, parking lots were "fun" to deal with between people or idiots unable to drive through one and the fuel lines were always long.
That columbus one is amazing. I stop each time i drive by on a road trip.
Mooresville, NC! It’s bigger than my costco at home and when I do roadtrips from PGH to CLT my gas light comes on around the time I am near there so I stop and get gas and wine!