8 Worst Costco Locations In the United States, According to Customers (2024)

Have some gripes with your local Costco? You may be among the unfortunate shoppers that frequent some of the worst Costco locations in America. According to a new Reddit thread, there are certain warehouses that simply take the cake when it comes to an awful shopping experience. From crowded aisles to crowded parking lots, crowds seem to be the major deciding factor for a nightmarish shopping experience.

Redditors chimed in by nominating some of their local Costcos as the chain's worst locations across the country, and their fellow shoppers' upvotes revealed that many agree these locations are very frustrating to shop at. If your local Costco didn't make the list (yet), be grateful for the free samples and relatively safe parking lot.

The Costco in Bellingham, Wash., kicks off the list of worst Costco locations. And according to one local, the place is always crowded.

Costco Is Discontinuing a Popular Product—and More Items May Follow

"Just south of the Canadian border, so lots of traffic from British Columbia to buy cheap dairy and gas," says the person who nominated the location."It is in a town full of retired and work-from-home, meaning it is busy almost any time you go from open to close. No difference on the weekends."

A constantly crowded and chaotic Costco can't be a pleasure to shop at, and folks in Marina Del Rey, Calif., know that well.

"The store itself is fine but the Marina Del Rey, CA location has a Costco Gas Station AND an In-n-Out in one tiny parking lot. Chaos reigns," said one shopper. The gas station's proximity to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) makes it a popular spot to refill rental cars before drop off, a contentious fact for local Californians. And the popular burger chain that attracts crowds of locals and tourists sure doesn't help. "Went to that In-N-Out a few months back, that parking lot was WILD. Almost died several times trying to park and leave my car," another person commented.

Indeed, Costco shoppers in California have it rough, with two more locations on the worst Costco rankings. Alhambra and Roseville is also mentioned for its overcrowded situation.

"I almost got run over in the parking lot once. Oh and the stampede over the free samples. Never again," someone said of the Alhambra location, while another person agreed: "Last I remembered, almost everything here is the more expensive organic version of produce and meats."

As far as Roseville's Costco goes, an insider confirmed that even the company knows this warehouse is too popular for its own good: "Can confirm I worked there for 8 months and the store was nicknamed the monster in the company. We broke the single day sales number two weekends in a row this past holiday season at like 3.2 – 3.5 million. In a day! Yeah Roseville you crazy."

In the South, a Huntsville, Ala. location made the list, in a seemingly a stark contrast to the beloved Costcos in nearby Georgia and the rest of the region. "I went there on a wednesday afternoon, thinking it'd be a quick in and out. I was so so wrong. Felt like a saturday afternoon in there," said one person, which checks out since it's the only Costco in northern Alabama, as another Redditor pointed out.

10 Best Costco Deals You Can Score in August

"I went there recently when visiting family and was taken aback by how run down the place was and how not-nice the Costco employees there are. I am more disappointed than anything, really. I expect more of BOTH huntsville and Costco" yet another person griped.

Portland, Ore., makes the list for its Costco location near the border with Washington state. Seemingly, these Costcos near state lines are uniformly problematic, as they get traffic from both states.

"Because it is so close to WA and Portland doesn't have sales tax while WA does, the parking lot and lines aren't just full, they are full of people loading large screen TVs and other major purchases. We stopped in for something and left without buying anything because it was pure chaos," said the shopper that nominated the location.They also added that they had shopped there with "two friends who had never been to a Costco and it traumatized them! We had to show them our normal local Costco later so they didn't think they were all that bad."

Though some Redditors praised the other Oregon Costco locations—Tigard and Hillsboro—Portland's warehouse remains a cursed place.

And Portland and L.A. aren't the only major cities that have terrible Costco locations. The warehouse in Brooklyn, N.Y., made the list as well, though New Yorkers on the thread are debating if the Industry City location is worse than the warehouses in Queens and Harlem. The proclivity of Instacart shoppers at New York City locations can make the experience even worse.

Though not ranked as the worst, the popular Costco location in Hawaii's Maui, near the airport, was also flagged as a problematic one.

"Tourists buying things for their trip because they are staying in a Condo/rental with a kitchen. Buying cheap beach gear to use while they are visiting so they don't have to pack it on the plane, etc. Buying stuff to bring home as their trip ends. Most of whom are completely unaware of their surroundings either because of selfishness or just overwhelming sensory inputs," one Redditor shared. "Then you've got the locals, many who work 2 or more jobs to make ends meet, often with large families and Costco is one of the few places on the island that doesn't jack the price of things up exponentially, plus they sell things that can easily be split among several families. So yeah, it's a real study in chaos theory."

Sign up for our newsletter!

8 Worst Costco Locations In the United States, According to Customers (2024)

FAQs

Where is the smallest Costco in the United States? ›

So, if you want to plan a trip to see the world's smallest Costco, you can find it in Juneau, Alaska. This location is about half the size of most other Costcos (which are typically around 160,000 square feet).

Why is there no Costco in Wyoming? ›

Wyoming ranks 49th in the country for population density, West Virginia 48th, and Rhode Island 39th. The low number of potential customers in these states makes it difficult for Costco to achieve the sales volume needed to sustain its low-price strategy.

What state has the best Costco? ›

The states with the highest average Costco ratings
RankStateFriendliness
1South Carolina9.0
2Ohio8.9
3Tennessee8.9
4Missouri8.8
6 more rows

What states have no Costco? ›

Hawaii and Alaska might be your first guesses as to which states are Costco-less, but the noncontiguous parts of the country actually have 13 warehouses between them. So, which states have the unfortunate honor of being completely void of the big box retailer? Wyoming, West Virginia, and Rhode Island.

What is the busiest Costco in the US? ›

1. Costco Honolulu, United States. with an estimated annual sales of $300 million. It serves over 800,000 members from the island of Oahu, which has a population of over 950,000 people.

Where is the biggest Costco in the USA? ›

But they do, indeed, exist, and for all the similarities, these locations have some interesting differences that put them in contrast. The largest Costco store is understandably in a large state in the U.S. The location at 300 West in Salt Lake City, Utah clocks in at 235,000 square feet.

Where are the proposed new Costco locations in 2024? ›

New Costco warehouses nationwide
  • Richmond, Texas: June 2024.
  • Northwest Omaha, Nebraska: July 2024.
  • Chaska, Minnesota: July 2024.
  • Tomball, Texas: August 2024.
  • Covington, Louisiana: August 2024.
  • Ridgefield, Washington: August 2024.
  • Napa, California: October 2024.
  • Bend, Oregon: October 2024.
Jul 4, 2024

Which state had the first Costco? ›

Seven years later, Jim Sinegal channeled his expertise into co-founding Costco Wholesale with Jeff Brotman, and together they opened the first warehouse in Seattle, Washington in 1983.

What country has the most Costco stores? ›

Locations. As of May 2024, Costco has 879 warehouses worldwide: 606 in the United States, including Puerto Rico. 108 in Canada.

Who is the biggest competitor to Costco? ›

Costco Wholesale Corp's (COST) main competitors in the highly competitive retail market of large discount stores are Walmart Inc. (WMT) and Target Corporation (TGT). These companies are also sometimes classified as consumer defensive stocks.

What is the top seller at Costco? ›

Toilet paper

Yes, that's right! Costco's best-selling item is its Kirkland Signature Bath Tissue. It sells more than a billion rolls every year, bringing in over $400 million dollars in revenue. Costco's toilet paper is thicker and more absorbent than most other brands.

Where does Costco make the most money? ›

So all the money that Costco earns is mainly membership fees, as their merchandise is either break even or a tiny profit margin and many of their items are in the red.

What is the smallest city in the US with a Costco? ›

The U.S. State With The World's Smallest Costco. If you don't live in Juneau, Alaska, the only way to access the world's smallest Costco is by boat or plane, as there are no main roads into the town. The population of Juneau, Alaska, is only 31,685 as of 2022, but it's a big cruise port.

Is Costco owned by Target? ›

Costco is not part of the Target Corporation (or vice versa) whereas Sam's Club is a division of Walmart Stores.

Is Costco Chinese or American? ›

Costco Wholesale Corporation, one of the largest retailers in the world, operates membership warehouses in which bulk quantities of merchandise are sold at discounted prices to club members who pay an annual membership fee. The company is based in Issaquah, Washington.

What is the oldest Costco in America? ›

In 1983, the first Costco warehouse location was opened in Seattle.

Who is the equivalent of Costco in the US? ›

Walmart Inc. is one of Costco's main competitors, operating retail stores worldwide through three primary segments: Walmart U.S., Walmart International, and Sam's Club.

How many Costco are in Alaska? ›

The business center will sell many products that can't be found at the four standard Costco warehouses in Alaska, said Bob Ripley, the store's general manager and a longtime Costco employee in Alaska.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Recommended Articles
Article information

Author: Fr. Dewey Fisher

Last Updated:

Views: 6254

Rating: 4.1 / 5 (42 voted)

Reviews: 89% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Fr. Dewey Fisher

Birthday: 1993-03-26

Address: 917 Hyun Views, Rogahnmouth, KY 91013-8827

Phone: +5938540192553

Job: Administration Developer

Hobby: Embroidery, Horseback riding, Juggling, Urban exploration, Skiing, Cycling, Handball

Introduction: My name is Fr. Dewey Fisher, I am a powerful, open, faithful, combative, spotless, faithful, fair person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.