Costco in Clermont open in November
 

Officially posted on Costco website!.
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Maybe a few minutes faster than going to Wesley Chapel. Will try it to see if Clermont has the crowds and chaos that the Orlando locations have.

Staying positive?

Maybe you’ll just be surprised that your gloom and doom prediction doesn’t come true — Just MAYBE, the location will be less congested than the current Orlando location near Millenia Mall (high probability). For those of us who live in the ever-growing area south of 44, zipping down the turnpike to Clermont is even quicker than driving up to Spanish Springs (yesterday, it took me 35 minutes with traffic to get to a Dr appt near the Villages Hospital, in contrast, I can get to the highway 50 exit in Clermont in 28 minutes.)

I think many people are very excited about the Costco opening in Clermont!

Closer
 

We live next to Sawgrass, it should be right around a half hour drive? It seems more convenient than a drive way up to BJs.

I will stick to BJ’s and my golf cart for transportation. No reason to go off in the car.

Actually, from my house, it will be 30 miles closer than the Wesley Chapel location. Also, it will take 19 minutes less time to get there.

From Sawgrass Grove, the Clermont Costco will be 31 miles and 35 minutes via the Turnpike.

Much looking forward to it. We have a Costco membership which we use for electronics delivered to our home, and have a Sam's membership here for the everyday stuff (driving to Altamonte Springs is just too much of a hassle), but miss the Costco quality on store brands. IMO Kirkland is better quality overall than the Member's Mark stuff you get at Sam's.

Good luck with that..

Costco does a fantastic job choosing locations. I have never seen one that wasn't busy most operating hours.

Millenia Mall has to be one of the highest grossing Costco store.

Got your priorities in order :) LOL

A great stock to own

Clermont and the surrounding nearby areas has some great restaurants, and varieties of cuisines not available in The Villages - I’ll probably get into a routine of a weekly trip down there (stopping for lunch first, then shopping) - I’ve just started doing a monthly trip up to Gainesville to shop Trader Joe’s, and take advantage of doing lunch at some good restaurants up there - I can make that trip in 55 minutes each way.

Altamonte Springs was just slightly better than Millenia when I went there a few weeks ago. The best Costco around Orlando is the business center in the morning, but they don't stock everything. I'm hoping Clermont will be good, but as somebody else stated, Costco picks their spots very well. Lake Denham is South, Richmond not so much.

Consider Wesley Chapel
 

So consider alternate Costcos. Those in the Orlando area or Apopka might be closer but are difficult to get into and out of, the lots are almost always full and there are long lines at the gas pumps. But there is also one at Wesley Chapel. It’s about 15 miles further than Clermont but saves the $6.50 in tolls. Straight shot down I-75 to the Land O’ Lakes exit, on the left just past the outlet mall. And where car dealerships surround the Clermont location the Wesley Chapel location has lots of other retail in the area as well as a large number of restaurants. If you take a trip down there I recommend the Ford Garage (even if you’re a Chevy fan). We likely will go to Clermont once just to see what it’s like but our experience visiting other locations while travelling has been that they are all alike.

I assume Costco puts their stores in high traffic areas for a reason. And I assume they then become a reason why other retailers, and restaurants pop up around them, and hence, congestion abounds wherever a Costco is.
I'd just as soon keep them an hour or so away and let those areas become ever more congested. 441 around the TV area is already congested enough.

It's official, list your home today and move to Clermont

One doesn’t have to travel the turnpike to get to Clermont. According to Google taking other routes is within 2-3 miles more than the turnpike. Depending on the time of day, time is just a few minutes difference. We shop at WC Costco now, but the area is heavy traffic, restaurants seem to come and go with chains starting to be dominate, loosing more mom and pop, places.

As far as tolls we would stop on our way back from Disney, so paying the toll isn’t a problem.

Um. You drive over 90 mph?

Please have you not been on Turnpike ever.. 70 is a suggestion….80 is the norm.

We get to Disney in 50 minutes, Gainesville in 55.

No, the 19 minutes is the time difference between going to the Wesley Chapel Costco and the Clermont Costco. Sorry, but I may not have worded the post as well as I could have. Where you live within The Villages can make a huge difference on which Costco is more convenient.

We really miss TJ’s. Had three within 15 minutes at our former home, one just a five minute walk. Is Gainesville the closest one to us here? I’m in DeLuna.

Disney is a full hour with my hubby driving. He’s never been in a hurry no matter where we’re going, lol.

Still 56 Min from Village of Caroline.
Need one closer than that.

TJ in Orlando is on W SandLake Rd…lots of restaurants there too.

I am looking forward to a Costco. As I am not a big fan of Walmart, Sam’s Club, or BJ’s. Yes they are not that bad. But Costco is just 10 times better. As well as I am in the south area and all those stores that I mentioned are already 25 to 30 minutes away from me.
Looking forward to it

Costco indicates it will be one of the biggest in Sq. footage of the Costcos. Yes!!!

TJ in Winter Park
 

The Winter Park TJs is 50 minutes from the toll road entrance on 301. Coming from the west, I was happy to find the store here. Sadly, they do not carry many of my favorite things from California and Nevada. I asked at the Winter Park store about the difference in products and they told me that a lot of the most popular items don't make it out of the west. Disappointing, but better than nothing.

Hi Nana- I had a Costco and TJ’s in the same shopping center just one mile from my home in Colorado. - would go to each several times per week.

I know there are a couple of TJ’s in the Orlando area, and technically they may be a bit closer than Gainesville. The TJ‘s in Gainesville is right off the first exit of I-75 once you get to Gainesville, so it’s a really easy up and back, not as congested as it can get once you get into the heart of Orlando.

We had 5 TJ’s within 20-25 minutes from our up north home…4 Costco 20-30, and a commissary 45 minutes away. But is wanting a good restaurant, it was 30 minutes. I really don’t understand what so many here cringe if they have to drive more than 10 minutes. We are happy to drive anywhere to get something worth our while, food, shopping, entertainment. Maybe it an age thing for those who don’t like to drive more than a few minutes or shouldn’t drive more than a minute :1rotfl:

According to Google maps, it will be 35 minutes from my house down here in Fenney. BJ's at Spanish Springs clocks in at 31 minutes. For four extra minutes I miss the misery of numerous traffic circles, stop and go traffic, getting behind slow pokes on no pass roads, and have other stores and restaurants to experience. Won't be going there every week but for a monthly excursion, sounds like it would be worth it.

There are multiple ways to get to Spanish Springs without stop and go traffic, traffic circles although slow pokes are relative....assume you are younger and haven't reached the stop and smell the roses side of life.

Difference between stop and smell the flower, and dead stop in the left lane at every traffic circle with no traffic coming, Then make right turn from left lane. Good thing many still have the reflexes to stop quickly and avoid hitting the Can’t Make A Decision, cause they are in the wrong lane, probably smelling that flower that they picked while stopping at the circle :girlneener:

I’m with you - I think nothing of driving an hour for a good meal - it’s really relative of where you came from prior to moving to The Villages I guess. I do understand, however, those that are more elderly and have mobility issues would want to drive as little as possible.

Close to 1/5 of my total retirement savings is actually in Costco stock. It's funny that the most common complaint that I hear from people about Costco is that they're all too crowded and the checkout lines are too long, and the carts are too full. $$$$$

We are gladly giving up our BJ's membership this year since we already have a Costco membership and we like Sam's for certain things. BJ's has some decent stuff, but it's like a mini-Costco. We're south of 44 but 5 mins to the turnpike so the new Costco will be roughly the same amount of time to get to the BJ's in Lady Lake.