History UsefulNotes / CostcoWholesale

Costco's roots trace back to July 1976 when Price Club opened for business in San Diego, California. Price Club, founded by Sol Price, was one of the first wholesale clubs founded. For $25 a year (equivalent to about $135 dollars today), members could purchase goods in bulk. Since Price Club operated as a no-frills business, savings were passed directly on to the member. Business boomed, and Price Club soon found itself making bank. But of course, its success lead other businessmen to take interest in the wholesale club model. One such person was Sam Walton, the founder of UsefulNotes/{{Walmart}}, who decided to open his own club. The aptly-named Sam's Wholesale Club (now just Sam's Club) opened in Oklahoma in April 1983. Why are we talking about their main competitor? More on that later.

* TheArtifact: The Kirkland Signature brand is named after Kirkland, Washington, which is where the company originally had its headquarters. In 1995, it moved to Issaquah, but decided to keep the Kirkland name since it was much easier to spell and pronounce.

Costco Wholesale is a wholesale club founded in 1983 by James "Jim" Sinegal and Jeffery Brotmon. As of now, it's the third largest retailer in the world, behind Creator/{{Amazon}} and its main rival UsefulNotes/{{Walmart}}.

* In 2023, a Costco-themed version of ''TabletopGame/{{Monopoly}}'' was released. All of the spaces are based on the locations of warehouses across the world. The tokens are also themed after the club; a slice of pizza, a pallet jack, the giant teddy bear, a hotdog and soda combo, a shopping cart, and a golden nametag that commemerates the 40th anniversary of the company.

* In Recap/FamilyGuyS3E19StuckTogetherTornApart, the Griffins go to [=CostMart=]. Peter wears different disguises to get free samples, but it turns out that it's three different guys who look a lot alike.

* EnemyMine: In order to prevent Walmart (owner of Sam's Club) for buying it out, Price Club and Costco decided to join forces.

Jim Sinegal and Jeffery Brotmon also decided to take a stab at starting their own wholesale club. Their club, Costco Wholesale, opened in September 1983 in Seattle, Washington. Six years later, they were able to go from zero to $3 billion in sales. But thanks to the financial backing of Walmart, Sam's Club was able to secure the top spot. With so much money in their coffers, Sam's Club was in the position to buy out either Price Club or Costco and put them out of business. So the two decided that in order to prevent that from happening, they had to [[EnemyMine join forces]]. In 1993, Price Club and Costco merged to form [=PriceCostco=], and operated under that name until 1997. Price Club was eventually fully absorbed into Costco. The original Price Club is still in operation today.

* InsistentTerminology: People who shop at not “customers”, but rather “members”. {{Justified|Trope}} in that only those who pay the annual membership fee can shop in its stores.[[note]]One notable exception is the pharmacy; membership is not required to purchase prescription drugs, though non-prescription items can only be purchased by members.[[/note]]

* InsistentTerminology: People who shop at not “customers”, but rather “members”. Which [[ItMakesSenseInContext makes sense in context]], as only those who pay the annual membership fee can shop in its stores.[[note]]One notable exception is the pharmacy; membership is not required to purchase prescription drugs, though non-prescription items can only be purchased by members.[[/note]]

Costco's roots trace back to July 1976 when Price Club opened for business in San Diego, California. Price Club, founded by Sol Price, was one of the first wholesale clubs founded. For twenty five dollars a year (equivalent to about $135 dollars today), members could purchase goods in bulk. Since Price Club operated as a no-frills business, savings were passed directly on to the member. Business boomed, and Price Club soon found itself making bank. But of course, its success lead other businessmen to take interest in the wholesale club model. One such person was Sam Walton, the founder of Walmart, who decided to open his own club. The aptly-named Sam's Wholesale Club opened in Oklahoma in April 1983. Why are we talking about their main competitor? More on that later.

Jim Sinegal and Jeffery Brotmon also decided to take a stab at starting their own wholesale club. Their club, Costco Wholesale, opened in September 1983 in Seattle, Washington. Six years later, they were able to go from zero to three billion dollars in sales. But thanks to the financial backing of Walmart, Sam's Club was able to secure the top spot. With so much money in their coffers, Sam's Club was in the position to buyout either Price Club or Costco and put them out of business. So the two decided that in order to prevent that from happening, they had to [[EnemyMine join forces.]] In 1993, Price Club and Costco merged to form [=PriceCostco=], and operated under that name until 1997. Price Club was eventually fully absorbed into Costco. The original Price Club is still in operation today.

* EnemyMine: In order to prevent UsefulNotes/{{Walmart}} (owner of Sam's Club) for buying it out, Price Club and Costco decided to join forces.

* TheArtifact: The Kirkland Signature brand is named after Kirkland, Washington, which is where the company originally had their headquarters. In 1995, they moved to Issaquah, but decided to keep the Kirkland name since it was much easier to spell and pronounce.
* EnemyMine: In order to prevent Sam's Club for buying them out, Price Club and Costco decided to join forces.
* InsistentTerminology: People who shop at not “customers”, but rather “members”.

* In 2023, a Costco themed version of TabletopGame/{{Monopoly}} was released. All of the spaces are based on the locations of warehouses across the world. The tokens are also themed after the club; a slice of pizza, a pallet jack, the giant teddy bear, a hotdog and soda combo, a shopping cart, and a golden nametag that commemerates the 40th anniversary of the company.

* In Recap/FamilyGuyS3E19StuckTogetherTornApart, the Griffins go to [=CostMart=]. Peter wears different disguises to get free samples, but it turns out that it's three different guys who look a lot a like.

!!Costco appears in or is parodied in these works

Costco's roots trace back to July 1976 when Price Club opened for business in San Diego, California. Price Club, founded by Sol Price, was one of the first wholesale clubs founded. For twenty five dollars a year (equivalent to about $135 dollars today), members could purchase goods in bulk. Since Price Club operated as a no-frills business, savings were passed directly on to the member. Business boomed, and Price Club soon found itself making bank. But of course, its success lead other businessmen to take interest in the wholesale club model. One such person was Sam Walton, the founder of Walmart, who decided to open his own club. The aptly-named Sam's Wholesale Club opened in Oklahoma in April 1983. Why are talking about their main competitor? More on that later.

* WeSellEverything: Costco sells a wide variety of merchandise. A somewhat obscure saying goes that you can buy everything you'd ever need at Costco except "the textbooks you study from, the tuxedo or gown you're married in, the house you live in, and the coffin in which you're buried."

Costco Wholesale is a wholesale club founded in 1983 by James "Jim" Sinegal and Jeffery Brotmon. As of now, it's the third largest retailer in the world, behind UsefulNotes/{{Amazon}} and its main rival UsefulNotes/{{Walmart}}.

Jim Sinegal and Jeffery Brotmon also decided to take a stab at starting their own wholesale club. Their club, Costco Wholesale, opened in September 1983 in Seattle, Washington. Six years later, they were able to go from zero to three billion dollars in sales. But thanks to the financial backing of Walmart, Sam's Club was able to secure the top spot. With so much money in their coffers, Sam's Club was in a position to buyout either Price Club or Costco and put them out of business. So the two decided that in order to prevent that from happening, they had to [[EnemyMine join forces.]]