Costco patrons flock to wholesaler’s first Midlands store

Costco customers across the Midlands greeted the wholesaler’s long-awaited entry into the Columbia market Wednesday, lining up several hundred deep before the store’s doors opened, purchasing memberships and putting shopping carts in motion.

“I have been waiting for Costco to come to Columbia since I moved back here” 2 1/2 years ago, said John Tudor, who braved what he thought might be “a madhouse” for the store’s grand opening. “I was very pleasantly surprised how well-organized it was for opening day.”

At least 350 people with membership cards passed through the doors at opening time, said store manager Nash Myers. Some of the cards admitted couples and entire families. Customers said they were not disappointed.

Tudor, who lives 10 minutes from the new store at Piney Grove Road and Fernandina Road in northwest Richland County, moved here from Pawley’s Island to be near his grandkids. Before moving to Columbia, he used to shop at the Costco in Myrtle Beach, he said.

“It’s a great place. I like the Kirkland (house) brand – they do a really good job. I’ve never been disappointed.”

Jacob McCarson of Ballentine, who shopped at the new store Wednesday morning with his wife, Vonsil, said they moved to the Midlands from the Greenville-Spartanburg area four years ago, “so we had to leave our Costco.”

“The closest one was back in Spartanburg or Greenville or Charleston, so we had to revert to a competitor. But as soon as we heard this one was (opening), we went and signed up (for a membership), and here we are. We love Costco.”

The McCarsons moved to Columbia from the Upstate to be near their children, who live in Lexington and Chapin. Before leaving the Upstate, McCarson said Costco officials told them not to worry, the company would be building a store in Columbia.

“They finally did,” he said Wednesday.

Kathy Laha of Prosperity said she purchased a Costco membership at a kiosk in Columbiana Centre during the run-up to the store opening, in which store officials said they planned to sell 10,000 new memberships. “I came specifically for this (the grand opening),” she said.

The store said about 7,000 new memberships had been sold through Wednesday.

Laha visited to compare prices with Costco competitor Sam’s Club, which is also a membership warehouse club with a location nearby, and to cash in discounts and coupons she attained with her new membership.

“I like it,” Laha said. “I think they have a little bit higher-end merchandise than Sam’s – that’s good. We’ll just see how their prices stay. A little competition doesn’t hurt anybody.”

Richard Bradley of Orangeburg, who shopped during the grand opening, said he was delighted he no longer has to drive to Charleston in order to reach a Costco store. “The drive time has been cut in half,” he said.

The former San Francisco resident said he has been a Costco member since 1989. Costco offers business memberships starting at $55 per year, with upgrades available.

Like many others, Bradley said he was most impressed by Costco’s quality selection – in food especially — and the company’s user-friendly return policy. “I know Costco. Costco stands behind their word,” Bradley said.

The 148,000-square-foot store has been under construction for a year.

The new store features several specialty departments, including a gas station, bakery, a deli with rotisserie chicken, an optical department, photo center, pharmacy and a tire center. The company says its goal is to offer brand-name and private-label merchandise at low prices.

Lesley Hoskins of Irmo joined Costco Wholesale in time to shop during Wednesday morning’s grand opening, although she “grew up” with Costco in California and always has been “disappointed” by its competition. “It’s a whole (different) level of shopping, from the organic produce and products, customer service – you can’t beat it. You almost get too much help in a Costco, which I love. If you even look starry-eyed, somebody is going to say, ‘Can I help you find something?’”

Costco has a wide variety of name-brand products from televisions and computers to high-end appliances such as stoves, refrigerators and dishwashers. On Wednesday, customers sat on leather sectional sofas and shopped for golf equipment and Egyptian cotton sheets before picking up packaged organic fresh-caught salmon or a grill.

“Really, I’ve been looking forward to it, just like when we got a Trader Joe’s here – I was so excited,” Hoskins said. “But it’s the quality, it’s the selection, it’s the services that aren’t offered anywhere else, and it’s the customer service, bottom line, again.

“Actually, their food court is nice, too.”

This story was originally published August 10, 2016 at 12:14 PM with the headline "Costco patrons flock to wholesaler’s first Midlands store."