[Velvet]

‘I like it too’.

[justjim]

Lets face it, a good number of people in our age group love to shop. It’s what some do as a “hobby” when they retire. Of course, others like our kids and grandkids buy almost everything on-line. I do think they shop for groceries most of the time. Different strokes for different folks. Would The Villages support a Costco? So far, those who do market research for a living, have said no. At least not yet. However, Sam’s appears to be doing a good business so go figure.

[Velvet]

Aha! Stats was my thing too, if it means getting a Costco, I’d love to help out with market research.

[EviesGP]

I agree with most of these posts, both for and against, but I also wonder... with the potential growth, why wouldn't they try here? Yes, on the older, reduced size households here, but there's also younger crowds flocking into the south? I/we shop carefully, not buying in bulk lest we need to, and shopping for deals. Regardless, I was a Costco member for many years, and now I'm a Sam's Club member. Cheers!

[Nucky]

I really like the way Costco takes care of some friends in Jersey who work for them. They are to be admired. We have the bestestest Supermarkets within 5 to 20 minutes from our house in The Villages and I'm going to support them so they don't go the route of other retailers. These big stores are a trap. Go in for milk and tomatoes and come out with unnecessary electronic equipment. For now, we're done with them all. If they work for you that's cool.

[JoMar]

COSTCO has an army of MBA's, Lawyers, Accountants plus others doing their market research. I ran one of those operations for a number of years. It's not just abut population it's also about, demographics, government impacts, labor market, competition, projected profitability (yeah, the revenue guys need to step up), accessibility, liability and other insurances and more. If they make a decision to come here it will because it is in Costco's best interests, we and the surrounding areas would only be a means to get to their ends. We have no skin in their game, if the store fails we will just go someplace else.....which is why petitions, phone calls, letter, emails won't impact their decisions.

[manaboutown]

A friend in the know recently told me the Costco in Kona, HI does $1.5M/day, $400K/day from EBT cards (welfare). Can TV and its surrounding area duplicate that? Welfare in HI is quite prevalent and lucrative for the recipients. The locals receive about $62K/year/family. How to collect it is passed on from generation to generation.

[EdFNJ]

Originally Posted by ColdNoMore

The same return policy applies to ANY of their stuff (except maybe partially eaten food )...even their most expensive items.

Of which, they carry a plethora of high-end/quality items...at awesome prices.

If I had the patience right now I'd tell you a story about that which my wife and I experienced back in a NJ Costco, but just to keep it short they DO even take back mostly eaten food. We stood in return line and the person in front of us made a return that unless you saw it you wouldn't believe it.


Also, return policy on TV & Computers (and some other electronic stuff) is 90 days because like with the food people took advantage of them so they changed it a few years ago. It's posted in all the stores.

[Velvet]

In the end Costco is interested in the bottom line, of course. But they do have a very successful approach in some markets, just wish that we would be one of them.

[Kenswing]

Originally Posted by EdFNJ

If I had the patience right now I'd tell you a story about that which my wife and I experienced back in a NJ Costco, but just to keep it short they DO even take back mostly eaten food. We stood in return line and the person in front of us made a return that unless you saw it you wouldn't believe it.


Also, return policy on TV & Computers (and some other electronic stuff) is 90 days because like with the food people took advantage of them so they changed it a few years ago. It's posted in all the stores.

Yeah, I remember stories on the news of guys going and getting the largest big screen TV Costco carries for the super bowl then returning them on Monday.. The few will always ruin for the rest of us..

[EnglishJW]

Originally Posted by EdFNJ

Actually a very new Costco in Orlando on Gardens Park Blvd is closer in both travel time at just about an hour & distance 56 miles and you have a major indoor mall (Millennia) about 1/2 mile away as well as an large outdoor outlet mall literally down the street about 1 mile from Millennia and a Trader Joe's 5 miles from there.

When we go to Disney we sometimes make those stops on our trip home along with an amazing selection of restaurants on "restaurant row" on Sand Lake Rd on the way back to the tpke. Everything there from Ruth Chris to Wendy's and everything in between.

That's both our choice and our strategy as well.

[Retiring]

Originally Posted by JoMar

COSTCO has an army of MBA's, Lawyers, Accountants plus others doing their market research. I ran one of those operations for a number of years. It's not just abut population it's also about, demographics, government impacts, labor market, competition, projected profitability (yeah, the revenue guys need to step up), accessibility, liability and other insurances and more. If they make a decision to come here it will because it is in Costco's best interests, we and the surrounding areas would only be a means to get to their ends. We have no skin in their game, if the store fails we will just go someplace else.....which is why petitions, phone calls, letter, emails won't impact their decisions.

Living here in Kirkland I have several friends that work at Costco headquarters. You said it. If Costco feels it can make money in TV, we’ll see a store. As TV grows it becomes more likely. I have many Costcos within a 10-mile radius and I do shop there often. In full disclosure I sometimes go there just for lunch. I do like/love their chicken bakes. Before you say it, yes I know they are very high in calories and fat. It may surprise some but not long ago they were the largest retailer of wine and diamonds in America, and might still be. So, yes they do have more than the 5 gal. bucket of ketchup.

[Retiring]

Originally Posted by manaboutown

A friend in the know recently told me the Costco in Kona, HI does $1.5M/day, $400K/day from EBT cards (welfare). Can TV and its surrounding area duplicate that? Welfare in HI is quite prevalent and lucrative for the recipients. The locals receive about $62K/year/family. How to collect it is passed on from generation to generation.

To be fair that store is an anomaly. I believe the Maui store does $1M/day, that too is an anomaly. I don’t think these numbers are the norm but your point is well made. Costco expects high revenues when it invests in a location. Merely “making a profit” might not meet their standard. I hope Costco comes to TV but if it doesn’t, TV is still a great place.

[JoMar]

[QUOTE=Retiring;1645774]Living here in Kirkland I have several friends that work at Costco headquarters. You said it. If Costco feels it can make money in TV, we’ll see a store. As TV grows it becomes more likely. I have many Costcos within a 10-mile radius and I do shop there often. In full disclosure I sometimes go there just for lunch. I do like/love their chicken bakes. Before you say it, yes I know they are very high in calories and fat. It may surprise some but not long ago they were the largest retailer of wine and diamonds in America, and might still be. So, yes they do have more than the 5 gal. bucket of ketchup. [/QUOT

Dinner, a movie then to costco for wine and diamonds....could any woman resisit .

[DangeloInspections]

We go to the one near Millennia Mall. There are 3 Costco's in the Orlando area. We do between 600 and 700 inspections a year in The Villages, and I bet I see new Kirkland products in over 250 of those homes a year. A LOT of Villagers already shop at Costco.

I honestly do not know if that helps or hurts the chance of getting a closer Costco down the road. If they already have you as customers....is there really an incentive for them to build one closer to us?

Frank