My New Favorite Store? The Costco Business Center
My new favorite store is the Costco Business Center. I’ve wanted to go for years, and even though there’s one close to me, I was scared to go. It seemed so special, so intimidating, and I made my mom come with me the first time I went. Spoiler: It’s just like a regular Costco, but (only slightly) different. There are no samples, there’s no clothing section, and there are Costco employees all around you packing orders to ship all over the country (at least at my store there are).
Anyone with a Costco membership can go to a Costco Business Center. You can also order from the Costco Business Center website, but you have to spend $250 to avoid a $25 surcharge, AND they will only delivery to commercial addresses. There are only 23 Costco Business Centers in the country, but if you are a Costco fan and have a chance to visit one, I HIGHLY recommend it. Here’s a few reasons why:
Fewer Variety Packs
If you are a Costco shopper, it’s safe to say you love to buy in bulk. But Costco is full of variety packs, often with one flavor you could really do without. I love Clif bars and Kirkland Protein Bars, but each come with one variety I love and one I would love to never see again. At the Biz Center, you can get a box of JUST cookie dough Kirkland Protein Bars, or JUST white chocolate macadamia Clif Bars. They also sell Perfect Bars in my two favorite flavors. It’s a picky person’s dream.
ALL of the Candy
Whether you are running a concession stand, want a stockpiled home theatre, or just love candy, the Costco Business center is your heaven. There is a whole aisle of just Reese’s products. There’s candy I’ve never heard of, candy I thought was discontinued, and candy I could only dream of. Mints aren’t candy (they aren’t, don’t argue), but the business center also has every mint and gum you can think of. We’re talking EVERY flavor of Altoids in small AND regular size.
Storage Solutions
I have already mentioned the storage containers I got to keep avocados in my fridge. They’re from the Costco Business Center! The Biz Center has aisles of restaurant supplies, and there’s no reason you can’t also run your kitchen like a pro. I love squeeze bottles for everything from laundry soap to hot sauce, and the Business Center sells a pack of 6 for $5! The wide variety of containers could be used for all sorts of things, plus there’s shelving, and even the bins TSA uses. It’s not necessarily cute, but it’s practical as hell.
Huge Sizes
There’s a lot of novelty to the Costco Business Center, and one of the perks of visiting is seeing the HUGE quantities of everyday items for sale. A 32lb vat of plain yogurt. A 5lb bag of cubed cheddar cheese. Or, as pictured above, 60lbs of Honey and 6.6lbs of Nutella.
Travel Sizes
In addition to enormous sizes, the Costco Business Center also offers tiny sizes. Usually when you buy travel size you’re not looking for fifty travel size items, but if you frequently provide tiny toiletries this is a great resource. These aisles always make me think of those TikTok teachers who provide tampons and mints and hair ties to their students, and also people who make hygiene kits for unhoused folks.
Cheaper, Simpler Pineapples
Pineapples at regular Costco are $3.49 each. Pineapples at Costco Business Center are $2.79 each, and they come with their crowns already cut off. I realize this may not be the biggest deal, but it’s a big deal to ME.
Niche Things!
To wrap up, here’s a slideshow of items sold at the Costco Business Center that made me go, “Oh! Interesting!” I love to walk the aisles of Costco, but I really love to walk the aisles of the Costco Business Center. The cheese selection alone, my goodness!
