Costco Is Finally Coming To This State

Despite Costco's global presence — it has nearly 600 locations in the US and over 800 worldwide — there are still some states that lack the popular wholesale superstore. According to ScrapeHero, West Virginia and Wyoming are two of the small handful of states and territories that are Costco-less, which is a stark contrast to states such as California, which had 133 locations as of August 2022.

Though the warehouse store is undoubtedly very popular, a lot of people don't have a need for Costco due to the fact that the store sells many of its items in bulk (via CNBC). In addition, a Costco basic membership costs $60, which can further steer potential customers away. Some individuals are even against the company as a whole, arguing that the superstore can ruin small businesses. One Reddit user took to the Costco subreddit in 2020, writing that by supplying crops from her farm to Costco, she had to cut her employees' wages to meet its high demands. But there are also many instances where customers welcome the fact that a Costco is coming to their town, and the residents of this New England town did exactly that.

East Coasters will soon be getting one more opportunity to buy their groceries in bulk. Scarborough, Maine, will be getting the state's first Costco at the end of 2023 or at the beginning of 2024. The plan was approved on Monday, August 29 by The Scarborough Planning Board, according to The Portland Press Herald. This is a long-awaited announcement, with Mainers commenting eagerly on a Reddit thread about the news. One comment — "Finally Maine is modernizing as [a] state" — had 35 upvotes in agreement.

With Hawaiian Costco locations being known for its macadamia nuts and stores in Canada supplying food court poutine, there comes a very serious question — will there be any Maine exclusives at the new Scarborough store? One Redditor, @4077, put out a prediction in the comments. They'd be happy with the new store on one condition: "Only if I can get lobster rolls in the food court." It will be another year or so before the store is ready to open, but when it does, there will be one less U.S. state without the Costco Wholesale experience. Perhaps Wyoming, Rhode Island, and West Virginia will eventually follow suit.