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I actually abandoned my plan to go to Costco because it was


Ginevra
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...too absurdly crowded!!! It reminded me of the weekend before Thanksgiving! Or when the Ravens were in the Superbowl! I know we’re just before Halloween, but can that actually be the reason the only parking spaces where in East Podunk beside the dumpsters at the loading dock area of the store?? 

I planned to go but geez. I don’t need a big bag of coffee grounds and Kale Salad as badly as that!

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The parking lot was packed when I was there today, but I didn't have to wait in line for gas for very long, and I walked right up to a checkout lane with no line.  I almost didn't go because Saturday is usually beyond my crowd tolerance, but I was out of cocoa powder and wanted to make avocado brownies.  Like, now.

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36 minutes ago, SamanthaCarter said:

I went out today and the crowds were absurd. I remarked to my ds that it seemed like Christmas already. 

Exactly! 

If it were like this every Saturday, I would quit. 

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53 minutes ago, happysmileylady said:

Grocery shopping today want too terrible.  Costco, Meijer,  Kroger all normal.  

The BMV however OMFG.  I intended to be there right as they opened at 8am, so as to be in and out fairly quickly.  I arrived at 7:59 on the clock in the car.....and there were TWENTY people there.  For 4  employees.  It was busier than when I had to be there weekday afternoons.  

I did the DMV a month ago, showed up at 7:30, and there were at least that many people already waiting. Some of them had camping chairs like they were camping out for Black Friday or concert tix. I finally got out of there at noon... 

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I won't go to Costco on a Saturday or Sunday unless I arrive right as they open. Otherwise, no way. Even if I get there when they open, there's usually a line up of at least 50 people. One time, a couple of months ago, I got there early, had some Panera. Waited with my cart. They came out and said, small delay, hold on. Everyone got antsy. The whole area filled with people. Then they came out and said, sorry, there's a fire, it's not safe. And we all had to leave. That was an hour of my life I'll never get back. (No one was harmed. Small fire. Sprinkler system takes years to reset apparently. Sigh.)

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I hate Costco.  I switched to Sam's Club because it was never as crazy crowded as Costco. It was insane.  But, when I was a member of Costco (probably 20yrs ago) I would always show up about 15-30 min before closing.  I knew what I wanted and didn't waste time.  I would breeze through and get out very quickly.  If the lines happened to be long still, THEN I would do a little window shopping, etc.  

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3 hours ago, BarbecueMom said:

The parking lot was packed when I was there today, but I didn't have to wait in line for gas for very long, and I walked right up to a checkout lane with no line.  I almost didn't go because Saturday is usually beyond my crowd tolerance, but I was out of cocoa powder and wanted to make avocado brownies.  Like, now.

Wait, your Costco sells cocoa powder?  Ever since our Sam's closed, I have to find people with a Sam's card when we are visiting other areas so I can get cocoa powder.  It's a faction of the price of the grocery stores and we use a lot of it since my son sells homemade brownies for fundraisers.  I would love it if our Costco carried cocoa powder.

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1 hour ago, Andani said:

I expected to read... raining. 

I abandon shopping plans if it's raining, or if the place is too crowded, so I wouldn't have blamed you for either. 

I have done that when it was really pouring for all it’s worth. 

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4 minutes ago, cjzimmer1 said:

Wait, your Costco sells cocoa powder?  Ever since our Sam's closed, I have to find people with a Sam's card when we are visiting other areas so I can get cocoa powder.  It's a faction of the price of the grocery stores and we use a lot of it since my son sells homemade brownies for fundraisers.  I would love it if our Costco carried cocoa powder.

I feel the same about getting a great big jar of Vanilla extract, especially right before the holiday season. 

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1 minute ago, cjzimmer1 said:

Wait, your Costco sells cocoa powder?  Ever since our Sam's closed, I have to find people with a Sam's card when we are visiting other areas so I can get cocoa powder.  It's a faction of the price of the grocery stores and we use a lot of it since my son sells homemade brownies for fundraisers.  I would love it if our Costco carried cocoa powder.

Yep, Rodelle brand.  According to my receipt, it was $5.99.  How much is it at Sam's?  We're thinking about getting my mom a Sam's card so we can use both stores without having to each carry both memberships.

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1 minute ago, texasmom33 said:

You should try ordering this from Amazon. You'll never go back to anything else. 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BLTNL4Q/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&th=1

Maybe as splurge for our family sometime but it's too expensive for the quantities we go through for fundraisers (since I donate all the ingredients).  Last year we went through close to 30 pounds of cocoa powder.  When it's on sale at Sam's we can get it for under $4.00 a pound.

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8 minutes ago, BarbecueMom said:

Yep, Rodelle brand.  According to my receipt, it was $5.99.  How much is it at Sam's?  We're thinking about getting my mom a Sam's card so we can use both stores without having to each carry both memberships.

 

They sell Hershey's brand.  Regular price (in the midwest) is $7.18 for a 23 ounce container but at least once or twice a year it goes on sale.  This fall it was $1.50 off so we paid $5.68 for the container.  We stocked up and bought 24 packages because we didn't know when we might find a sale and be near a Sam's with a friend with a Sam's membership again.  

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I didn't realize club stores had such late opening times. I am always there mid afternoon. 

Well, dh recently had an appointment in a city an hour from our house near a Sams. So I dropped him off at 9am and went to Sams. Well for some reason the entrance wasn't opening and everyone was going in the exit. So I did too. I realized what was happening as soon as I saw the beautifully decorated table with cookies, doughnuts, coffee, and juice for the "exclusive" members. I would have to wait until 10! Dh would need picked up before 10 and go home right away, he can't walk around a store (or sit in a scooter cart or at the snack bar.) I really needed those groceries right then and there.

Nobody stopped me or asked to see my lowly basic membership card so I kept going. The kids were exclaiming, "cookies!" and I am keeping my head down and shushing them, hoping I don't get kicked out. I purposely did self checkout and warned the kids that alarms may starting blaring when I swipe my card. We're not supposed to be in here yet! ?

They thought it was great fun and loved telling dh when we picked him up that he was basically married to a criminal! ?

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8 hours ago, KungFuPanda said:

Was it the one in Columbia? A friend who used to work there actually did her shopping in Glen Burnie because the Columbia Costco is NEVER not crowded. Sat-Sun-Mon are the WORST. Tues-Thurs before 3 is reasonable. 

No, Frederick. I do try to avoid the weekends but sometimes it just can’t be helped. It’s not terribly convenient and I combine other errands when I’m going up there. But I have never seen it this crazy except on those other big days I mentioned. 

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16 minutes ago, BeachGal said:

Maybe they were buying Halloween candy because they ate all the bags they had bought earlier? That is why I will be buying Halloween candy on Monday. Ahem.

Toilet paper is their #1 selling item. Now I would totally battle the crowds for that!

I know, right? As if the stores don’t know that all candy put out for display at the end of July will definitely be gone by Halloween! 

I really think it is more about decorations. A lot of people are perfectly happy to pay $59.99 for a giant rat skeleton with glowing red eyes. Apparently. ??‍♀️

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13 hours ago, texasmom33 said:

The Sam's Scan and Go app has made me a decided fan.  Costco used to have the advantage with more efficient checkouts over Sam's, but that Scan and Go app? I don't even have to go through a line. Scan the stuff put it in the card and poof- out the door. I wish Costco would come up with one, as I do like a lot of their products, but it's hard to justify the hassle for me. 

 

 

Agreed! I was at Sam's once standing in line and saw a sign about it. I downloaded the app, set it up, and scanned all my items before my turn in line came up. I almost always use it now, although our Sam's here is rarely very busy. My girls love the Cafe and you can't beat lunch for $2.50 a person, so we eat there a lot while running errands and I just usually scan while they eat. We don't have a Costco, but the scan and go app is awesome at Sam's. 

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13 hours ago, texasmom33 said:

The Sam's Scan and Go app has made me a decided fan.  Costco used to have the advantage with more efficient checkouts over Sam's, but that Scan and Go app? I don't even have to go through a line. Scan the stuff put it in the card and poof- out the door. I wish Costco would come up with one, as I do like a lot of their products, but it's hard to justify the hassle for me. 

 

The Scan and Go app paired with a Plus membership is gold to me.  I can get my shopping done way earlier in the morning before the crazies are out in full force.

I have memberships to both but I can't tell you how many times I decide I need to run to Costco and then I can't.  Because their hours suck.  They are not open early enough or late enough some days.   Who closes at 6:00 pm on a Saturday?!  Costco does, that's who. 

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5 hours ago, Quill said:

No, Frederick. I do try to avoid the weekends but sometimes it just can’t be helped. It’s not terribly convenient and I combine other errands when I’m going up there. But I have never seen it this crazy except on those other big days I mentioned. 

And I keep hearing from friends how the Frederick one is "way better" than the G'burg one.   Well, I'm still not tempted to switch back then.  

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I have been having a hard time with Costco - I have a big enough household I can really make use of the membership, but I hate going there is much that I just don't.  It's the crowds, the giant carts, the lighting, it's just too much.

I had thought that the location, in a business park that I hate driving in - was also a major issue for me.  But an IKEA has gone in next door to the Costco and I get there pretty regularly to buy juice-boxes.

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3 hours ago, mellifera33 said:

I was out last night doing my usual last-minute Halloween costume search and the roads were terrible. So many people. I have to finish up today and I'm dreading it.

Even just the regular grocery (Martins) was quite crowded today. 

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