The Street reports that Costco “plans to open a store solely dedicated to furniture and appliances.”
The story notes that “most of Costco’s 850 global locations are its classic warehouse model that sells food, household goods, and lots of other things. The chain has opened a handful of ‘Business Centers,’ in recent years, locations that cater to business needs that also welcome non-business members.
“The chain tested this concept in Kirkland, Washington, near its Issaquah, WA, headquarters, but that location was closed in 2009. Since then, the company has not added or even talked about the concept.
“Now, however, it plans to bring back the format in a former Toys R Us location in Anchorage, Alaska.
Christine Lasley, a Costco director of real estate development, said that “the format may become a larger part of Costco’s store base in the future … She said the company also plans to open an appliance and furniture showroom in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and has plans to create additional locations beyond that one.”
The products sold in the new format will include many of the items that are offered on Costco’s website, but do not find their way into its traditional membership warehouse stores.
KC’s View:
Costco is judicious – to put it mildly – about its format experimentation. I would guess that the success of this one will depend on location and the proximity of competition, but then again, isn’t that true of every retail store?
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