I prefer Costco, but Sams is not bad, and one heck of a lot closer. Thankful that Sams isn't BJ's which is way down on my list. I take BJ's "free" 3 month membership every other year or two, just to check it out. Never impressed, compared to Costco or Sams.

Isn't sams club just Walmart in bulk with membership fee??:evil6:

I have observed over the years that "Shopping" is actually a hobby for some people. It's sort of like Pickleball, golf, cards, garage sales, painting and such are hobbies for others. They will drive several miles to shop. They like certain stores like a golfer will "Swear" by certain golf balls and golf clubs. They are good at what they do and can tell you the price of coffee, tea, green beans, where the sales racks are in department stores and which are the "best" because they know.

To each his own.......:coolsmiley:

Me, too! :agree: Some years ago Consumers Reports did a study on the quality of lenses from various vendors. Bausch and Lomb was number one but Costco was a close second - at half the price! That is when I switched - permanently!

Others have mentioned the quality of the Costco Kirkland brand is top notch. I know it sounds trivial but their paper towels are the best.

We have been members of Sam's Club of Lady Lake since we moved here in 2011. Our first purchase was an air mattress to sleep on the floor for 3 weeks in our new CYV, our furniture was delayed. There were no tractor trailers that had space coming to this side of Florida for a while. It actually worked out nice, the moving company reimbursed us $125 a day, so we got a check in the mail for $2100 just 5 days after our furniture arrived, we had only paid $2700 for the move and nothing for storage.

Our next big purchase was in 2012 for a 60" Vizio LED HD TV for $979, we actually bought it through the website because I didn't have a big enough car to pick it up at the store. It was free delivery and arrived in 5 days. A neighbor liked mine so much he went to Sam's and bought the same TV. Two months later my neighbor's TV screen went black. Vizio said there was a defect and gave out a serial number you needed to look for. My TV from the Texas warehouse didn't have that number and is still working fine five years later. My neighbor who bought his TV at the store had the serial number so Vizio sent him a new TV. Since the price of TV's have come down, today you can buy that TV for about $698.

Other than buying a pair of prescription glasses in 2013 we really haven't made anymore big purchases and small purchases we can't find much for just two people. We stay members for one reason. They stock excellent crab meat, $22 a pound and my wife makes the best Maryland Crab Cakes around. If we can't get them here in a restaurant at least we can have them at home. Winn Dixie was the only other place that has crab meat, and it wasn't good, so Sam's is our go to place.

We buy cat litter and tuna for the furry boys who run the house, and we buy roasts, hamburger and ribs for us and we have purchased a fountain, an easy chair and two Serta Mattresses. We buy their giftie candies at Christmastime, and I buy their canned chicken, also frozen appetizers at times when we gather a group. Small appliances and casual shoes are priced well there and I have never once had a problem with the help and don't know the managers, I just shop there and don't find anything to complain about. I always wonder when this discussion occurs about Walmart and Costco why some people get their knickers in a hitch. We belonged to both Costco and Sam's back in Cincinnati and I could never see a nickels worth of difference. The bottom line and the reality of the situation is that Sam's is HERE. Typical of certain groups to make a non-issue an issue.

Let me be clearer; I understand liking a coffee brand well enough to go to a particular store for it but I DON'T understand about getting het up about some supposedly superior pay at one. Employees at both have jobs and are working which I find commendable.

More profound wisdom from gg. :beer3:

Brand loyalty is understandable, retail loyalty ? Nah. Sam's is close, Costco not.



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I like to drive my corvette to far away exotic places that have Costco.

I drive my Corvette on Morse Blvd. loop back south on BV and then back home. Keep beating my time week after week.

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Nice wheels, but now I am considering selling. ;)

We had a standing joke while Steve was still practicing, we went to Costco every week for office supplies, stuff for home, etc. We were surrounded by Costco's in Michigan, at least 5 within a 20 mile radius. When we went to Mexico we went to a Costco, just to take a picture to show the office. I like Costco, maybe not just for lower prices but it has become an outing, checking out electronics, cheap clothing, yard stuff, etc. We just have fun with it, Sam's is not the same.

Have belonged to both stores for eons. Costco was about a mile from our house in CA, Sam's about 7. Both have items we buy regularly and enjoy. The local Sam's is undergoing a transformation....methinks making it more like Costco with more fresh items. The one thing Costco has is more non-food items and it's always a surprise when you walk into any of the warehouses...;)....AND they stand behind the items you purchase there. One time we had trouble with a mattress we purchased at Costco. Was close to the end of guarantee period. Went to the store, told them the problem, was told to bring it in and then pick out another. Bringing it in wasn't difficult, we did own a pick-up. We were originally Price Club members and also wish we had bought stock.....lol. (Actually we had an opportunity....sigh) Had a hissyfit when Sol Price sold to Costco....oh how wrong I was....lol.

Go is so wise! :bowdown:

Really? Kirkland paper towels are good? I've never tried them. Will purchase a package next time I'm at Costco. Thanks.

Go at lunch so you can have the $1 hot dog and drink!

This is my favorite! Costco BBQ brisket sandwich review - Business Insider

Such a Deal!
 

After I had a nice chuckle at this I went and measured my Kirkland TP and found it to also be 4 1/2" wide. My daughter loves the Charmin though!

I buy the Impressions Vanity Fair dinner napkins in bulk at Costco although the brand is of course available elsewhere. Costco is my one stop shop for paper products. My cleaning lady loves their 52 pack cotton towels so I buy them there as well.

My most unusual Costco story is about 20 years ago I found a huge selection of beautiful large tapestries produced traditionally on looms in Belgium for unexpectedly low prices when I walked into a Costco. I was hemming and hawing for probably an hour when a couple approached me. The man told me they had lived in Europe for several years and had purchased a few tapestries while they were there. They told me these were the real thing priced at a fraction of what they had paid and that if I wanted one I better act - so I bought two and absolutely love them. When I went back to the store a few days later they were sold out. I also bought the highest quality ping pong table I had ever seen at a Costco...I could go on...

You are right. Sorry!

Hot Dog and Soda Combo - Sam's Club

BIGGER Nathan's Hot Dog too.

They have wonderful Frozen Yogurt Sundaes for a buck too. You should try it sometime.

^^^^

My parents never, ever fed me a hot dog. My father was a Safeway manager and he knew what went into them. I never eat them and I never fed them to my children, ever!

Kirkland batteries
 

Consumer Reports rates Kirkland batteries a "Best Buy" - they are about half the price you'll pay for the name brand batteries

We tried everything at the Costco and Sam's Club food courts — here's who won | Dining | heraldextra.com

Sorry, but Costco won.

Never forget, you are what you eat! Eat healthy (no hot dogs among other garbage). I would rather remain healthy - no meds whatsoever at age 75 -and look good than be a food freak.

:mademyday:Just like the high quality eyeglasses!

We belonged to both in Cincinnati. Sam's Club is HERE and Costco isn't.

If you are born to hang, you won't drown. It isn't as if we hang out there frequently.

Loosen up Manabouttown, a little cold yummy FOUR BERRY Sundae won't do you in every now and then. I don't smoke or drink or chew.

My dad worked in a meat packing plant in Dubuque, Iowa for 40 years, part of that time on the hot dog line. The plant produced Dubuque Plumper hot dogs which are no longer available. Hot dogs helped put food on the table in the house I grew up in. From time to time, I will eat a Chicago-style hot dog.

In addition to all of the other superior products mentioned in the various threads, your last two sentences...is enough reason alone to shop Costco. :thumbup:

For some unknown reason, it seems some folks just don't like that Costco pays their employees more...and values them instead of treating them as a liability.

Why does that bother some folks so much? :oops:


The Costs of Being Costco: Why Ethics Matter | business government society 2


And YEA for the new and closer Wesley Chapel Costco. :coolsmiley:

We also go to Sam's but if Costco opened within a half hour of here, we'd go there in a heartbeat. The sad thing is that the Sam's Club here is one of the smaller ones in the chain. The one in Ocala has much more of a selection.

But I don't consider Ocala convenient and I certainly don't consider an hour or more drive to Wesley Chapel convenient. I-75 may be easy to get to for some of you in the south, but for many of us in the northern part of TV it's a long way just to get to the highway.

It's surprising to me that many chains have not moved their stores to The Villages. TV has a larger population than Ocala, Summerfield, Bellevue, Fruitland Park and Leesburg combined. It seems that we should be the center of the retail industry.

The Book Above is a college textbook Written by a person who has authored several college textbooks apparently on business and one on eco-landscaping for which President Obama honored him. George A. Steiner (Author of Business, Government and Society)

What kids are taught in College about business by people who have never engaged in business is very troubling to me.

Costco vs. Sam's arguments always ends up on this forum to the amount of pay.

I am fine with both. At least people are working and not being forced to work at either.

We had memberships to both in Cincinnati.

I just never anticipated that when I started a thread about a convenient Costco that it would create a battle between Sam's and Costco, and a battle about driving distance and products and working conditions.

Is it not possible to start an informational thread on here without everybody jumping in to disparage and argue? Are people that bored? That is the last thread I will every start.

I just don't understand how the autonomy of the computer causes normal people to argue and fight. Oh well, lesson learned. And once everyone stops starting threads the forum will die a much deserved death.

FWIW I really appreciated your post. We had no idea there was a new Costco nearby. I should have come on earlier to thank you.

Yes... Thank you. Your post was informative. :coolsmiley:

How it became so negative is amazing.:ohdear: But not surprising! Thanks again.

This particular subject always does. ALWAYS on this forum. I am happy with Sam's. If Costco were here I would be happy with Costco. Thank you dear man for posting the information that Costco is nearer than it used to be. I hope you know that I respect and agree with almost everything you have ever posted.

I belong to all three, and while all of them have their selling points, I prefer Costco. I like Sam's for the convenience, and go to them the most. I like BJ's for their low price deli meats, and that they tend to sell in smaller portions. My son and his family live in Longwood, and I never visit them without stopping at Costco's. I would go in with him, but when we decided to buy a new car, I joined and used their car buyers program. Plaza was a participant in the program, so I sent the info to Costco and they deal with the dealer. No hassles and negotiating, just the deal I was looking for (plus a $700 Costco cash card). I find the meats superior, and a larger selection of produce and groceries. Now, I'm not a wine drinker, I'm told they have a great selection since they are the largest buyers in the world. Last week when we were visiting, my son told me to by this wine they get once or twice a year. I bought 3 bottles of Chateauneuf-du-Pape (their brand) which has a 90-91 rating for $17.95 a bottle, and I'm told it can go for over a $100 a bottle. You can also buy Square Trade warranties on electronics there for a lot less. The warranty on my TV was $300+, and I got it for $80 from Costco. So, they're all good, and I won't drive there just to shop there, but I make it a point to go when I'm in the area.

Is it really convenient???
 

if you add up the time spent driving and cost of gas what is the savings at the end of the day???