New Costco opens in Riverbank. Take a look at Day 1 of the popular warehouse store
Hundreds of people lined up to be the first customers of Costco in Riverbank on Thursday. Stretching around both sides of the building, the doors opened a little earlier than the announced 8 a.m. time to accommodate the eager shoppers.
Inside, the new store is similar to the Costcos in Turlock and Modesto, with only a few differences in layout. The optical department is just to the right of the registers in the front and the food court is right at the end of the checkout.
Filled with hundreds of people, and their full carts, the store did not seem crowded given its large size. A previous story reported the new location is a little over 150,000 square feet, which makes it larger than the Turlock location of about 130,000 square feet but similar to the Modesto location.
The new Costco has the usual departments, including a pharmacy, optical center, hearing aid center, tire services, food court and gas station.
Vendors including Don Julio, Love Corn, Traeger Pellet Grills and Petit Pot French Dessert were on site to greet customers and hand out samples. There was a long line inside to shop in the alcohol section due to special on bourbon and other spirits available on opening day. One shopper said there were people camped overnight to purchase more limited varieties.
Following retail trends, this Costco offers self-checkout to better manage the legendary long lines.
At the gas station, cars already were in formation to get Costco-priced fuel. Though the parking area is large, finding space was a challenge. It was opening day, of course, but packed parking lots are part of the Costco shopping experience and, depending one’s mood, maybe part of the charm. Employees were spread throughout the parking area to help drivers along and clear carts.
Based on the enthusiasm and attendance, this Costco is sure to be a hit. Earlier this month, it was announced that TJ Maxx and HomeGoods also will be joining Costco in the Crossroads West shopping center.
Costco Riverbank is at 2015 Claribel Road, at Oakdale Road. It is open Mondays through Fridays from 9 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
This story was originally published June 13, 2024 at 12:58 PM.
