Costco is going back to Basics

babyme

Costco started as Wholesale store, gradually changing to all around Retail store.

Now they want to go back to the original concept:  Cater Retailers rather than General Public, but does not exclude the later for use.

Scarboro will have one of this in Canada, not sure where it is.  But size wise is NOT as big as the Normal.

No optical, phone, meat, grocery, produce, clothing.  Other merchandise remain the same as regular store.  BUT with more varieties per category, ie.  each category will have MORE choices for you.

Hours will be OPEN early, CLOSE early for the retailer shoppers for their stores for RESALE.

Apparently stock price went up after this news.

babyme

Scarborough Mirror

Costco Wholesale will open a new store in Scarborough in March targeting business customers.

Housed in a former Zellers on Thermos Road, near Warden and Eglinton avenues, the Costco Business Centre store is “vastly different from any current Costco Wholesale warehouse, with 80 per cent of its product offerings unique” to the new store format, the company said after an outdoor groundbreaking ceremony on Wednesday, Dec. 14.

Although open to all customers who pay a yearly Costco membership, the first Business Centre in Canada will also offer next-business-day deliveries to commercial addresses within 20 kilometres of the store.

The U.S.-based company said this means the Thermos Road store’s delivery zone will reach from east of Bathurst Street to Markham Road, and from Steeles Avenue to Lake Ontario.

Costco already has one of its conventional stores not far to the north on Warden, south of Ellesmere Road.

However, the new Business Centre will be part of mid-Scarborough’s Golden Mile area, known for big-box retailers such as Walmart and Staples.

At 127,000 square feet, the Costco Business Centre store will be smaller than other Costcos in Toronto, and won’t have some of the extra in-store services family shoppers may expect.

The Thermos Road location also offers shorter but more “business-friendly hours,” open Monday to Friday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The format, said to be a throwback to Costco’s earlier U.S. operations, is meant to appeal to owners of food services, offices and smaller grocery stores — stocking items such as bulk foods, commercial kitchen wares, cleaning supplies and office furniture. Costco says business owners will find the same items available both online and in the store.   

“The arrival of this new concept in Canada will enable Costco to better respond to the needs of Canada’s business owners,” Andrée Brien, a senior Costco Canada vice-president, said in a release.

“As a result, we hope to also bring new consumers to discover the benefits of a Costco membership.