Disclosure: I received a gift basket valued at $150 to give away to one of my readers. All words, opinions and photos are my own.
Behind the Scenes at Costco & Giveaway
{Scroll down to enter to win an AMAZING Costco Gift Basket valued at $150}
We all know and love Costco for the amazing values they have there. But there is a lot more to this famous store. Last week, I got to take a behind the scenes tour of the brand Costco in Lynnwood, WA. My tour guide was a long time Costco employee named Sean who was great at answering my many questions. So come on along with me!
You know how when you enter the store, there are those displays items as you walk in? They call that area “the fence” and it’s reserved for seasonal items. In the new store I was in, this across the aisle from the electronics section where there were all kinds of amazing things. I learned that Costco recently reopened their relationship with Apple. Even more fab things to find in that section.
Nearby I spotted a booth area selling lovely Icelanic looking sweaters. I had always been curious about these booths I’d see at my local Costco periodically. They are called “Road Shows” and they are there at the store short term, just for 3-4 days. These are not Costco connected– just businesses offering products that are “in season” for short periods of time.
By the way, this display caught my attention! It was hard to resist picking up a new Burberry or Tory Burch purse. But I love that they have items like this at Costco.
We headed down one of the main aisles toward the beverages and food, specially the wine section. Did you know that Costso is the #1 seller of wine on earth? They also make it a point to carry wines from the area the store is in. I found many of my favorites.
Near that area was a fantastic array of fresh produce. Turns out Costco is also the #1 seller of organic food as well. Cool, right? As I was admiring all the beautiful fruit and veggies, the bakery area caught my eye.
The Costco bakery… home of giant muffins and colorful cakes, as well as treats you’ll only find that time of the year. You know how hardly any grocery stores actually BAKE anything in their bakeries anymore? They are actually made an a central location and delivered to the stores. Not Costco! Every in-store bakery makes the goods that are sold in the store, so you know they’re really fresh.
I am so looking forward to getting my pumpkin pie there!
Next door to the bakery is the meat department. It won’t surprise you to know that all the meat in house. There are some excellent values to be found there!
OK back to walking the store. You know those displays you see as you make your way around the store that have some different non-standard items for sale? Those are called “Focus Blocks” and it’s where Costco places seasonal or specialty items.
Side note– I discovered that there’s something about Costco that makes of very different from more retailers: the SKU. SKU is short for stockkeeping unit. It’s that little line of numbers and letters that’s specific to an item. Many stores have 100,00o SKUs in play at any given moment. In contrast, Costco only has around 3,500 SKUs going at any given time.
Back to the tour. This Costco location also has a pharmacy, an eyeglass center, a hearing aid center (at least some stores do) as well as a photo center. Yes you CAN pretty much buy anything there.
I finished my tour at one of my favorite areas of every Costco store. The restaurant where you can score a hot dog and drink combo for $1.50. It’s the same price as it was in 1983. The price has never gone up. When the original vendor said they HAD to raise the price after many years of it being the same, Costo said “No thanks” and now they make their own hot dogs and polish sausages!
The nice people at Costco want to set you up with a gift basket jam packed with Costco goodies including
Enter to Win a $150 Costco Gift Basket
Note: You must be willing to pick this item up in Bellevue, WA. It’s way too heavy to mail! Here’s what included: KS Peaches, KS Peanut Butter Pretzels, KS Body Lotion, KS Chocolate Almonds, KS Mixed Nuts, KS Macadamia Clusters, KS Pink Salt, KS Tuna, KS House Blend Coffee, Disinfecting Wipes Sample, Baby Wipes Sample, 2 Costco Tumblers, Costco Cookbook, Costco Cooler and Auto Program Goodies
We buy our meat and dog food there. The quality of both are amazing, and I know exactly what I’m getting. I love that the rices are so competitive, I don’t think anyone can beat them! My favorite time of year to go to Costco is Christmas, because i love walking the aisles and looking at everything they have from decorations, wrapping supplies, to toys and food gifts. We always get the chocolate covered macadamia nuts to give to family!
We buy organic products from Costco. We also like the cooking oils and rice as the quality and quantity is great. Costco is our go to place for vitamins and supplements. There are always great deals on clothes for the kids and good books. We bought a TV at Costco last year and it was a good buy. Love the different kinds of snacks and variety of chocolates!
I would like to stock up for snacks for my kids for the school year, such as pretzels, nuts and yogurt.
Have you ever tried the mango pieces dipped in dark chocolate?! Amazing!
The fruits and veggies are awesome and I can’t pass by the fresh baked breads every time we go there. The pulled pork, yummy and so easy! Just got gloves for my morning walks. Love Costco!
Oh my gosh! Costco is my second home. Even though we are a small family of three we buy our fruit, bread, eggs, drinks, coffee, you name it there!
I shop at three places; Costco, Safeway and Nordstrom. I feel that next to having the best prices, they have the best customer service as well as return policy. They seem to carry all the named brand staples that I prefer and they always have awesome deals on kid’s clothes.
We love the organic meat and produce!
we love Costco! We buy all our bulk food and supplies there, and always end up with more! And the kids love the food court and samples :)
I’m feeding 3 boys so I buy everything I can there!
LOVE this! I buy so much at coscto–meat, snacks, wine, almost everything!
I like to buy their easy freezer meals, I hate cooking!
I LOVE costco, heading there tomorrow to get my whole candy bars so we remain everyone’s favorite house on Halloween ;)
Snacks and stuff. Just lots and lots of food! Thanks for the chance!
Costco has the best selection of organic foods available of any box store. It is my favorite thing to purchase there.
I love buying the essentials, milk, break, eggs
I would like stock up on meat. Thanks.
Love the produce, frozen salmon and fresh breadh
Organic fruits and veggies, and cashew nut clusters!
I like buying gas at Costco, as well as tons of fruits and veggies!
organic produce
I’d love to buy a big cookie tray from Costco.
I like the snacks and also buy my gas there. :)
snacks and drinks
I love to buy kids clothes there. Always a great deal on coats, gloves and pj’s among other items.
I love buying coffee here. It’s so much cheaper than any other grocery store.
I buy food (cooked and uncooked), home decor and bedding, and anything else that catches my eye!
I would love to shop around and buy unique foods. I have always wanted to become a member
Love Costco! Mostly our meat & stuff from the bakery.
The kale salad mix is awesome. We also love the fresh salon.
Everything! Most of our food comes from Costco. We love Costco!
I like to buy sunflower seeds and assorted nuts.
I have not gotten the chance to shop at Costco yet! I hear amazing things and may just have to get a membership. I love having Sam’s club and we really love Ikea so big places like this make me happy!
I like to buy frozen food and produce at Costco
I love getting produce there, especially the melons in the summer. I also get a mocha freeze every time I go shopping.
We always buy our meats at Costco – so much better and cheaper!
I like buying frozen foods and meats at Costco.
yogurt,meats
I buy cat food and cat litter
I love buying produce at Costco – it’s so fresh, and the prices are pretty good.
I do alot of my monthly shopping their for example all my paper products i buy there.
Drinks and Candy
I buy cleaning supplies, many frozen meals, all of our drinks. Im not starting to buy some Christmas gifts.
I would stock up on meats and cleaning products
Our kids favorite thing to get are the giant bags of nuggets and fish sticks. I like to buy toilet paper and other household goods.
The have great frozen products and household items
I would stock up on cleaning supplies. Money is so tight right now and it’d be a dream to win this. :)
I haven’t been to Costco but they are building one right by my house and I’d like to check it out for snacks.
i have never shopped at costco.
i’d probably buy those pretzels!
I would like to stock up on frozen food items for our deep freezer. It is nice to have a freezer full of food just in case we don’t make it to the grocery store or are busy.
I love their pumpkin pies seasonally, then we love to get La Terra Fina quiche there. I can’t find it anywhere else.
Veggies and papergoods are great to buy at costco, I mostly go for the samples though :D
I like to buy bag salad
We get a lot of paper products, dog food, dry goods, and frozen veggies! Love their organics!
We buy all of our toiletries from Costco, they can’t be beat! Their organic frozen fruits and veggies are also the best price around. Love Costco!
i usually get party stuff there since i run a blog i do a lot of giveaway partys
Oh I love to buy their fruits and vegetables!!!
We buy so much at Costco – all of our paper products as well as many household cleaners and detergents. We also like the frozen food selection and snack foods at Costco – great place!
quinoa and contact solution
I LOVE Costco!!!
EVERYTHING!
I always buy produce and I love their diapers!
i would like to buy diapers.
I don’t really ever buy stuff at Costco….but I bought a really cute set of little girl clothes once. :) Costco has nice stuff, if you have a place to store it.
I love there bakery cakes and pies
I like to buy my cleaning products at Costco. I also like to buy my paper products too.
I like to buy meat and diapers at Costco.
I love Costco. It is a bit of a drive for me so when I get the chance to go I stock up on snacks and I have to get something from the bakery!
I buy meat, fruits, veggies, and snack foods.
i love getting fresh produce there
The good deals and great selection.
fruit and already prepared meals
I love the selection of chocolates! and bakery items.
I always seem to get A LOT of olives. I do like the bakery but try to limit my visits there and the produce section keeps i s always a winner for me. Hearing aid batteries are priced great.
I like to stock up on paper products and body wash.
Costco is hands-down my preferred place to buy meat, fish/seafood, and organic produce ~ they also have the best (price, quality AND selection of prepared foods.
I like to buy my animals food and cat litter at Costco.
Snacks and household items ( Small appliances and kitchen items)
P.S.
I am SO sorry to say that NO, I have never tried the mango pieces dipped in dark chocolate ~ but based on Tatjana’s comment (above) ~ I’m ready to make a trip over there right now (about 25 miles round trip) just to try them!
I love Costco’s produce and their heat at home ready made meals are fantastic!!
I shop at Costco 90% of our groceries, there is just so much variety and quality is hard to beat. I love their cheese selection, cooked chicken is a delicious and perfect for a quick dinner and don’t even get me started on Christmas time when they get in all these awesome surprises, sometimes I think they are shopping solely for me.
I love to stock up on snacks!
canned products in bulk (tuna fish)
coffee & those big bags of unsalted peanuts in the shell
KC
We stock up on snacks for school and get huge bags of dog food for my hungry doggie!
They have a decent organic section, at least for my town. I buy salas, tortilla chips, seaweed, eggs, cheese and more
I like to buy meat and diapers!
We buy diapers and snacks for school.
I love Costco. I saved a lot of money from this awesome store. They have so many great items that I always want to buy and try everyday :) Diapers are one of my favorite items that I usually buy from there!
Thank You for the chance
I buy a lot of produce, seafood, dairy products, meat, pre-made soups, gum, batteries, V-8 juice, snacks and coffee just to name some of the items I buy at Costco.
gum, bread, & lunchmeat.
I love their big boxes of…ugh, I don’t know what they’re called, but basically dairy-free Fig Newtons. So yummy!
I buy a little of everything. but really like getting household stuff we use a lot of … cleaners.. toilet paper.. paper towels.. laundry detergent.. etc.
We like to stock up on toilet paper, paper towels as well as blueberries & milk!
I don’t have a Costco near me, but there is one being built about 30 minutes away from me. I can’t wait until it’s open!
I absolutely love their frozen ravioli and their make-up remover wipes. Those are a must when I go. Their photo printing service can’t be beat either. They give the best quality prints of any service I’ve used.
I like the real maple syrup, coconut oil, and fruit and cheese.
Love shopping at Costco! We buy fresh fruit and veggies, snacks, household items and gifts.
I like buying Costco fresh oven baked pizza. I purchase a pizza from them every week.
I love Costco, I always get their soap, fruit, chicken and tp~
I like to buy baked goods and fancy cheese at Costco.
I like to stock up on all of the things we use the most, diapers, wipes, drinks, and toiletries! Their food and produce is really good too!
We buy coffee, nuts, produce and clothes.
Oops, I am not currently in Bellvue :(.
The options are endless! I like their tylenol/ibuprofen branding. We also like their fruit selection. We love Costco!
I love their produce!
I like the great selection, I always buy my kids coats there
I love shopping at Costco for cleaning products and necessities.