Living Near a Costco Business Center: Discover 5 Items Not Sold at Costco Wholesale
Discovering the Unique Advantages of Costco Business Centers
Costco Business Centers, a lesser-known division of the popular wholesale retailer, offer a distinct shopping experience compared to their regular counterparts. Here's what sets them apart:
Specialized Bulk Options
Business Centers cater to commercial needs with larger, more bulk-oriented sizes of products. You can find a 6.6-pound tub of Nutella or a 49-pound pork belly, items that are not typically available in regular Costco warehouses.
Early Opening Hours
Business Centers open as early as 7 a.m., three hours before regular Costco warehouses, making them an ideal choice for small business owners, caterers, and other commercial customers who need to shop before their workday starts.
Less Crowded Stores
With fewer shoppers, Business Centers provide a quicker and more convenient shopping experience, with little to no checkout wait times.
Different Inventory Focus
The Business Center stocks commercial kitchen equipment, office supplies, and large quantities of beverages and snacks that are suitable for bulk buyers like restaurants or offices. However, it usually offers less variety in produce, cheeses, and prepared foods compared to regular warehouses.
Layout Optimized for Businesses
The store design resembles a supply depot more than a typical retail store, focusing on high-volume industrial and commercial products such as large rolls of paper towels, bulk proteins, and to-go containers.
Limited Number of Locations
There are currently only about 27 Costco Business Centers compared to hundreds of regular Costco warehouses, which can affect convenience depending on your location.
Additional Perks
Executive members now receive a $10 credit every month to spend at a Costco Business Center. The centers also have special opening hours for executive members, with doors opening at 9 a.m., while regular Costco warehouses open at 10 a.m.
However, it's important to note that Costco Business Centers have a smaller selection of cheese, produce, and prepared foods compared to regular Costco warehouses. They also do not offer gasoline like regular Costco warehouses.
Despite the limited variety, the Business Centers offer a unique shopping experience, with a wider selection of beverages and snacks, including San Pellegrino sparkling water and single-serving snacks. They also have a larger selection of candy and sell larger quantities of beverages and snacks.
For those interested in becoming a member, both the Gold Star Membership and the Executive Gold Star Membership are currently available at discounted prices through StackSocial. However, there is no membership discount for non-members at Costco Business Centers.
In summary, Costco Business Centers are tailored primarily for business customers needing early access and extremely large bulk quantities, offering a specialized, less crowded shopping environment with a different product assortment than regular Costco warehouses.
- A Costco Business Center might be the perfect choice for your lifestyle, allowing you to store large quantities of beverages and snacks suitable for home-and-garden parties or shopping events in your wallet.
- If you're a defi entrepreneur seeking to upgrade your home-and-garden workspace, you might find it beneficial to explore the wide selection of commercial kitchen equipment available at Costco Business Centers.
