COSTCO ...?

[Kaimana]

I went this past Saturday and it was packed. I think it might have been a fluke. Super bowl weekend and Hilo teachers were getting their covid shots at Kealakehe. One tip though, pick the middle line when you check out. Seems to always move faster when it's packed like that. They send you to 3 or 4 registers and the others usually only send you to 2.

[David M]

We try to go to Costco 3 maybe 4 times a year. Always costly. Would love to see a Sams on Hiloside.

[SBH]

Had to go to Kona for business yesterday and made a Costco run while we there. I have not seen it so crowded in a very long time, lines going all the way back to clothing, no social distancing, checkers getting irritable, running out of stuff. An even bigger line to get in as we were leaving.

Between lots of tourists coming over for spring break and people getting stimulus checks it’s not a good time to go to Costco until after Easter!

[terracore]

Kona is crazy. A friend of mine was staying over there for work and told me the hotels were booked, and Alii looked like it, completely packed. She almost had to stay in Waikoloa, but managed to score a cancellation at the Marriott. I was thinking it was like COVID never existed, but it didn't dawn on me that it was spring break.

I didn't go to Costco but I'm sure the double whammy of stimulus checks and spring break was filling it up. End of next week will be triple whammy (EBT)... oh wait, quadruple whammy: IRS refunds.

I'm actually planning a costco run after I get my brakes serviced, but I'll wait until the middle of next month.

[macuu222]

I went over to Hapuna on Friday. It was packed at 10am!!. Then I realized it was Prince Kuhio Day( state holiday).

[eightfingers2.0]

Went to Costco today and it wasn’t bad at all. We had a list of 21 items and they had all but one of them. Lines were short with maybe two or three carts per line. The longest wait was at the gas pumps.

[macuu222]

Is the food court still open and can you eat inside? Do they still give out free food samples in the aisles?

[randomq]

I haven't been in a couple months, but the food court was only open to the outside, and you were not supposed to eat anywhere in or near the store.

The only samples they gave out were prepackaged ones (single serving of crackers etc). Some of the sample people just had a prepared plate on display behind glass, and were there to answer questions.

I guess we all miss grazing!

[terracore]

I went yesterday at about 1030 am. Parking was easy, walked right in, no problems. It had been nearly a year since I was there last and the store had been greatly re-arranged. I saw the new parking lot, but people were preferring to drive around looking for spaces rather than using it, and I understand why, I couldn't imagine trying to stop a heavy costco cart from getting away from me on that steep driveway. It was COMPLETELY empty, not even a single car, so not even employees were using it, which one would think management would make a requirement. I even looked to see if the lot was perhaps gated off, there were gates but they appeared to be open.

After shopping I went to the food court and saw a sign I had never seen before that a Costco card would be required for purchase. The line was short, but wasn't moving, I decided to leave when I saw all my favorites were no longer on the menu including supreme pizza (cheese and pepperoni only now).

As I was leaving I noticed there was a SHORT and quickly moving line to get in and there were no longer any obvious empty parking spaces, other than the empty lot down Suicide Hill. Recommendation: Get there early.

They had plenty of all their usuals in stock. I didn't get gas because the gas lines were a nightmare. They should move their gas pumps down to the parking lot nobody will ever use and restore the gas area to parking spaces. Or better yet, open a location on the side of the island where most of the people live instead of catering to tourists. (I know I'm dreaming).

[Volcanoite]

Suggest a new location in Hilo. Doesn't cost anything. ?

https://customerservice.costco.com/app/a...ocation%3F