Costco To Open Members-Only, Standalone Gas Stations With 40 Pumps
There's a lot to love about Costco—discounts on bulk items, cheap hot dogs, items you can't get elsewhere, the hot dogs again, and the discounted gas. Now, Costco is going to supplement its on-location gas stations with standalone sites, more akin to a traditional fuel station.
According to The Motley Fool, Costco is working to roll out stand-alone gas stations "to ease congestion around its stores." It's an especially valuable business proposition these days, given the seemingly ever-increasing cost of gas at the pump.
Thing is, these gas stations—just like the main Costco stores themselves—will be exclusive to club members. Membership is $65-130 for a year of access, so whether the savings actualized at the pump are worth the price of entry comes down to a very personal and circumstantial math equation. Costco gas is usually $0.10-$0.30 below the average, so you'll have to do calculations based on your miles-per-year to debate if joining is a sensible financial choice.
The first of these "independent" Costco gas stations will open in Mission Viejo, California, with 40 pumps dispensing its Kirkland Signature Fuel on the premises. That's a huge size jump over the 4-10 that a normal corner gas station has to show for itself. After the CA site, the next facility is planned for Honolulu, Hawaii, in 2027. About 10% of Costco's revenue comes from its 747 gas stations, and that should grow substantially with this new play.
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Based in Connecticut, Ross hosts The Hooniverse Podcast. He has been in the off-road world since he was a kid riding in the back of his dad’s YJ Wrangler. He works in marketing by day and in his free time contributes to Hooniverse, AutoGuide, and ATV.com, and in the past has contributed to UTV Driver, ATV Rider, and Everyday Driver. Ross drives a 2018 Lexus GX460 that is an ongoing build project featured on multiple websites and the podcast.
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wont see this in New Jersey