Costco and Sam's Club, how I love thee....

[Philpug]

Walmart closing 63 Sam's Club stores and laying off thousands of workers

I saw this earlier. Our local Sam's Club really does not get much traffic to the point where we wonder how it stays open considering the efficiency that these types of stores need to run at. IMHO the only thing that could save it is that it is the only Sam's in the Reno area.

 

[Phelmut]

Woman returns christmass tree "because it's dead" -

http://abc7.com/society/woman-returns-dead-christmas-tree-to-costco-in-january/2929173/

Scott Bentley said he was irate after watching a woman return a dead Christmas tree for a full refund (Credit: Scott Bentley/Facebook via WKRN)


Thursday, January 11, 2018 10:10AM
While many of us were trying to figure out where to discard our Christmas trees, one woman decided to return hers.

On Jan 4., the woman reportedly took her tree to a Santa Clarita Costco asking for a refund because her tree died.

One shopper, who was waiting in line behind the woman, was so blown away that he posted about the exchange on his Facebook page.

"I can't make this stuff up," Scott Bentley wrote. "Woman in line at Costco, totally nonchalant, to return her Christmas tree 'because it is dead' on January 4."
The man even shamed Costco for allowing the "ridiculous" return to occur and the woman for asking for her money back.

"Heartbreaking to think she may have needed that money so much, she lost all self respect and dignity for it."

Surprisingly, Costco did issue the woman a refund, Bentely said in his post.

The woman still hasn't been identified; however, she did give shoppers on social media a new idea for next year.

Not surprising at all that they gave her a refund. Their return policy is amazing and years ago people took advantage and would bring back laptops and electronics a year later and trade up to a more up to date model. That is why they changed their policy on electronics returns and added the concierge service. Still a great electronics warranty, but not like it was before people abused it.

 

[Philpug]

I saw this earlier. Our local Sam's Club really does not get much traffic to the point where we wonder how it stays open considering the efficiency that these types of stores need to run at. IMHO the only thing that could save it is that it is the only Sam's in the Reno area.

Here's a list of the stores closing around the country:

Alabama
3900 Grants Mill Rd, Irondale, AL 35210

Alaska
8801 Old Seward Hwy, Anchorage, AK 99515
1074 N Muldoon Rd, Anchorage, AK 99504
48 College Rd, Fairbanks, AK 99701

Arizona
2425 E Florence Blvd, Casa Grande, AZ 85194
5757 E State Route 69, Prescott Valley, AZ 86314

California
17835 Gale Ave, City of Industry, CA 91748
12540 Beach Blvd, Stanton, CA 90680
3360 El Camino Ave, Sacramento, CA 95821
12920 Foothill Blvd, San Fernando, CA 91340

Connecticut
2 Boston Post Rd, Orange, CT 06477
69 Pavilions Dr, Manchester, CT 06042

Florida
5135 S Dale Mabry Hwy, Tampa, FL 33611
355 FL-436, Fern Park, FL 32730

Georgia
2994 Turner Hill Rd, Lithonia, GA 30038
6600 44th Ave, Moline, IL 61265

Illinois
460 S Weber Rd, Romeoville, IL 60446
808 S Illinois Rte 59, Naperville, IL 60540
501 N Randall Rd, Batavia, IL 60510
21430 S Cicero Ave, Matteson, IL 60443
900 S Barrington Rd, Streamwood, IL 60107
1055 McHenry Rd, Wheeling, IL 60090

Indiana
3015 W 86th St, Indianapolis, IN 46268
10859 E Washington St, Indianapolis, IN 46229
4024 Elkhart Rd #1, Goshen, IN 46526

Louisiana
9598 Cortana Pl, Baton Rouge, LA 70815

Maryland
9750 Reisterstown Rd, Owings Mills, MD 21117

Michigan
340 E Edgewood Blvd, Lansing, MI 48911

Minnesota
2800 27th Ave S, Moorhead, MN 56560
3745 Louisiana Ave S, St Louis Park, MN 55426

New Hampshire
200 John E Devine Dr, Manchester, NH 03103

New Jersey
81 International Dr S, Budd Lake, NJ 07828
1900 E Linden Ave, Linden, NJ 07036

New York
720 Fairmount Ave, Jamestown, NY 14701
2649 Erie Blvd E, Syracuse, NY 13224
700 Elmridge Center Dr, Rochester, NY 14626
1600 Marketplace Dr, Rochester, NY 14623

North Carolina
5085 Dawn Dr, Lumberton, NC 28360

Ohio
9570 Fields Ertel Rd, Loveland, OH 45140
4825 Marburg Ave, Cincinnati, OH 45209

Tennessee
1805 Getwell Rd, Memphis, TN 38111

Texas
1615 S Loop W, Houston, TX 77054
13331 Westheimer Rd, Houston, TX 77077
22296 Market Place Dr, New Caney, TX 77357
12919 San Pedro Ave., San Antonio TX 78216

Virginia
741 E Little Creek Rd, Norfolk, VA 2351
4571 S Laburnum Ave, Richmond, VA 23231

Washington
901 S Grady Way, Renton, WA 98057
1101 Outlet Collection Way, Auburn, WA 98001
13550 Aurora Ave N, Seattle, WA 98133

Wisconsin
1540 S 108th St, West Allis, WI 53214
7050 Watts Rd, Madison, WI 53719

 

[François Pugh]

Not surprising at all that they gave her a refund. Their return policy is amazing and years ago people took advantage and would bring back laptops and electronics a year later and trade up to a more up to date model. That is why they changed their policy on electronics returns and added the concierge service. Still a great electronics warranty, but not like it was before people abused it.

Christmas trees should stay up until epiphany, which is January 6th. If Costco sourced their trees from a company that cut them down in August (ok maybe a bit of hyperbole) so they didn't last the season, they should refund her the money.

 

[Johnny V.]

Looks like we'll be switching to Costco as both Rochester stores are closing. We have a Sams business membership through work which was nice- 7:00-10:00AM entry before the hoi-polloi was allowed in. One benefit-Costco is closer and more convenient to our house.

 

[crgildart]

Here's a list of the stores closing around the country:

Alabama
3900 Grants Mill Rd, Irondale, AL 35210

Alaska
8801 Old Seward Hwy, Anchorage, AK 99515
1074 N Muldoon Rd, Anchorage, AK 99504
48 College Rd, Fairbanks, AK 99701

Arizona
2425 E Florence Blvd, Casa Grande, AZ 85194
5757 E State Route 69, Prescott Valley, AZ 86314

California
17835 Gale Ave, City of Industry, CA 91748
12540 Beach Blvd, Stanton, CA 90680
3360 El Camino Ave, Sacramento, CA 95821
12920 Foothill Blvd, San Fernando, CA 91340

Connecticut
2 Boston Post Rd, Orange, CT 06477
69 Pavilions Dr, Manchester, CT 06042

Florida
5135 S Dale Mabry Hwy, Tampa, FL 33611
355 FL-436, Fern Park, FL 32730

Georgia
2994 Turner Hill Rd, Lithonia, GA 30038
6600 44th Ave, Moline, IL 61265

Illinois
460 S Weber Rd, Romeoville, IL 60446
808 S Illinois Rte 59, Naperville, IL 60540
501 N Randall Rd, Batavia, IL 60510
21430 S Cicero Ave, Matteson, IL 60443
900 S Barrington Rd, Streamwood, IL 60107
1055 McHenry Rd, Wheeling, IL 60090

Indiana
3015 W 86th St, Indianapolis, IN 46268
10859 E Washington St, Indianapolis, IN 46229
4024 Elkhart Rd #1, Goshen, IN 46526

Louisiana
9598 Cortana Pl, Baton Rouge, LA 70815

Maryland
9750 Reisterstown Rd, Owings Mills, MD 21117

Michigan
340 E Edgewood Blvd, Lansing, MI 48911

Minnesota
2800 27th Ave S, Moorhead, MN 56560
3745 Louisiana Ave S, St Louis Park, MN 55426

New Hampshire
200 John E Devine Dr, Manchester, NH 03103

New Jersey
81 International Dr S, Budd Lake, NJ 07828
1900 E Linden Ave, Linden, NJ 07036

New York
720 Fairmount Ave, Jamestown, NY 14701
2649 Erie Blvd E, Syracuse, NY 13224
700 Elmridge Center Dr, Rochester, NY 14626
1600 Marketplace Dr, Rochester, NY 14623

North Carolina
5085 Dawn Dr, Lumberton, NC 28360

Ohio
9570 Fields Ertel Rd, Loveland, OH 45140
4825 Marburg Ave, Cincinnati, OH 45209

Tennessee
1805 Getwell Rd, Memphis, TN 38111

Texas
1615 S Loop W, Houston, TX 77054
13331 Westheimer Rd, Houston, TX 77077
22296 Market Place Dr, New Caney, TX 77357
12919 San Pedro Ave., San Antonio TX 78216

Virginia
741 E Little Creek Rd, Norfolk, VA 2351
4571 S Laburnum Ave, Richmond, VA 23231

Washington
901 S Grady Way, Renton, WA 98057
1101 Outlet Collection Way, Auburn, WA 98001
13550 Aurora Ave N, Seattle, WA 98133

Wisconsin
1540 S 108th St, West Allis, WI 53214
7050 Watts Rd, Madison, WI 53719

That list is incomplete. Only shows one store closing in North Carolina. We are losing THREE, Lumberton (listed), Cary, and another I can't recall.. Thankfully the one closest to us is remaining open..

 

[Phelmut]

Christmas trees should stay up until epiphany, which is January 6th. If Costco sourced their trees from a company that cut them down in August (ok maybe a bit of hyperbole) so they didn't last the season, they should refund her the money.

Hah, Jeopardy question tonight was asking the date of the Epiphany. Nobody got it. Also, I don't think that was the case with this woman, seems she just used it and returned.

 

[crgildart]

I guess I'm not the only one who sets up the nativity on the west side of the room with the wise men at the far east of the room before Christmas and starts moving them a little closer each day starting Christmas so they arrive at the manger on January 6th, Scholarly folks seem to agree it would have actually taken them over a year to get they really did leave Christmas eve when Christ was born..

 

[Uncle-A]

The Costco store I Union, NJ is about 3 miles from the house and my family has a member ship for years. The Sam's Club that closed in Linden, NJ was about 4 miles in the other direction from my house but we never joined Sam's Club. We use the Costco for many things and has served us well. But since we are moving sometime this year the only membership store is near the new house is BJ's and I was not impressed with that store.

 

[Phelmut]

I'm not much of a bacon guy as i am trying to keep the love handles away, but the crew at our house at the Utah Gathering brought some Kirkland applewood ?? bacon. Wow, that is good stuff. I got a pack the day after i returned.

Another good Costco item is the down jackets they had a few years back for $30 i think. When it's really cold I wear that as a layer underneath an insulated jacket and it has to be insanely cold and windy to penetrate. The vest was also warm but i don't wear that much.

 

[DanoT]

I find Costco meat in Western Canada to be top notch and less expensive than what I have seen in the US Costco, Albertson's or Walmart. I just bought a 3 pack of Costco rib grilling steaks for $31 CDN and a pack St Louis marinated ribs for $22CDN that will serve four.

Also the $1.50US hot dog and drink with refill is $1.50CDN at Costco in Canada so there are a few better deals to be had in Canada.

 

[John Webb]

Before Costco there was a membership warehouse store called Memco in Maryland.
Those scoundrels sold me a membership card without telling me that 2 weeks later the whole Memco
chain would go bankrupt and close all stores for good.

Costco worked well in Utah -especially for Gas.

 

[Philpug]

I just read somewhere that Costco serves 100 million hot dogs a year, that is more than 4x the amount of dogs sold at ALL MLB stadiums in a year. Costco pretty much supplied all of the food (and alcohol) for our ski house in Utah this year.

 

[Uncle-A]

We tried a Cauliflower crust pizza that Costco had and my wife made it for dinner tonight. It was good, this is the first time we had a Cauliflower crust pizza, I do recommend it. You have to like thin crust pizza to enjoy it, so if you like thin crust give it a try.

 

[lisamamot]

We have both BJs and Costco memberships. BJs is closer but I am impressed with how Costco is expanding their organic offerings.

Some Costco frequent buys for us:
-RX bars
-Fig bars
-Kind mini bars
-Seeds of Change rice packets
-Tasty Bite Indian Madras Lentils
-Organic frozen blueberries
-Bob’s Red Mill Organic Quick Cooking Steel Cut Oats
-Amylu fully cooked chicken sausages
-organic chicken breast

My son and I went in for a standard food run last summer and came out with an a TV for his dorm room. It happens, lol.

 

[surfsnowgirl]

Even though it's just the 2 of us we buy quite a bit a BJ's, especially since we have another residence in Vermont now so twice the supplies.

regular staples for us are

shampoo/conditioner
paper towels/TP
zip loc bags
trash bags
tums
acid pills
benedryl
aleve
allegra
lysol
wipes
cereal
orange juice
blue berries
carrots
hummus
bread
lunch meat
pretzels
kings Hawaiian bread
candy for halloween
cliff bars
Vodka
Brandy
Fireball

 

[Philpug]

Cauliflower crust pizza

I don't understand.

 

[John Webb]

Don't buy a lot.

Kerrygold Cheese
packed chicken if Organic.
Toasted Head wine ($2 or $3 cheaper than anywhere else) A loss leader
for past 3 months.
Up to $50 stuff at random -usually clothes.

Last but not least Gas for car. Almost always less than all other places.

 

[Bobalooski]

I don't understand.

Neither do I...
Nothing’s sacred.

 

[Marker]

Costco has Johnny Walker Double Black Scotch for about $38. I just had to get a bottle for the ski condo! We regularly stock up on bourbon, tequila, beer, wine as well as food and all manner of goods that we split between our two abodes. Good place to get briskets for bbq and prime beef tenderloin for Christmas. Last week we got Dogfish Head Honey Rum and 120 Minute IPA. Amazing!