Growing up in Costco

Costco opened on Maui around my freshmen year in High School not but a few yards away from K-mart, which had opened a few years before. This area in Maui had become a bargain hunter's dreamland. I remember the thrill I got when I first entered through the huge doors. They weren't kidding, this really was a warehouse! Boxes of M&M's, 12 packs of Crest Toothpaste, scores of classical music cd's (no pun intended), and lines of Chicken Soup for the soul book. This was wonderful quality time between me and my mom, at least in my head. After all, my mom couldn't deny buying me Cocopuffs cereal at such at bargain! Our ride back to Lahaina with our overstuffed trunk was pleasant because I couldn't help thinking as soon I'd get home I'd make me several sandwiches with about 5 pieces of ham and several layers of cheese, after all who would notice I took so much?

Fastforward several years later: Our office got flooded out of the Biomed building at UH Manoa last October and temporarily landed in Lauhala until January of this year. We are now housed in the Dole Cannery Office building, which happens to have a Costco right behind it. At first I was excited about the idea of eating $1.50 hotdogs and soda everyday for lunch! I was in the mood to save lots of money by eating hotdogs, even if they destroyed my intestines. But yesterday something strange happened when a co-worker came back from Costco with food he had purchased from the inside of Costco. For the first time in my life I thought "Hey, I can get a Costco card...couldn't I?"

Previously I had only attended Costco with my mother or with an older friend who had to purchase Costco membership because it truly was cheaper to buy in bulk. As a college student, although still loving traveling through its aisles, I had no need to really purchase anything from Costco in bulk, save computer stuff, dried ramen, an the cheap picture development. I walked up to the counter, took a deep breath, and purchased my Costco membership for a yearly rate of $45.00 + tax. Amazing.

Sure, it might not seem like a big deal, but it's not so much that I got the card as much as that I actually will get use out of the card. I'll be 25 in May, and until now I had no need to purchase a large amount of soap, I could easily get it from my roommate or get a bar at Longs. There was no need for me to buy a 100 pack of hotdogs, or think about cheap life insurance, and I would never be caught dead in shorts bought from Costco. All that has changed. I feel like a grownup. I must say it's not much different than NOT having a Costco card, yet that is (I haven't used it yet), but it's at little simple times like this you realize you really are growing older, just like all books warned you. All the sudden I'll be having bbq's for no reason at all other than just to catch up with friends I haven't seen in a while, with winnies I bought in bulk, sitting on lawn chairs purchased at reasonable prices, and dressed in shorts I bought from Costco. I think I'm ready for that bbq.

Comments

I live 10 min. walking distance from Costco by Dole. I only go there for GAS. I used to go there more often to purchase food and other things but since selling our resturant and being only me and my MAMA, no sense. It's cheaper buying not in bulk for me...fresher and just the right portions. Only for parties, I will sometimes buy some items. You will save more when you know the right places, times on where to look. Sometimes the most savings are not on the advertised Wednesdays as they claim in the newspapers. Be wise, shop wise. I hope you make use of your card. You could have saved the money spent if you went along with a friend on designated days.

Auntie Lynn

I tend to buy AA batteries from that Costco as well as DVD.

Since I take TheBus it's hard to buy things in bulk unless I am with someone who has a car to haul the stuff I buy.

But I think the membership fee is reasonable.

The Maui Costco popped up while I was in college so I was kinda surprised when I got back home for break and discovered the circus-like atmosphere there. Everybody was hanging out at Costco like the Maui County Fair or something.

On another note, has anyone ever been to a Target store on the mainland? Those are cool. We need one of those somewhere in Hawaii.

And while the franchise megastores flourish, the mom and pops are all disappearing, one way or another. Here's a sad one for any who have ever been to Ah Fook's on Maui:

http://starbulletin.com/2005/02/28/news/index2.html

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