Costco coming to Knoxville? (Maryville: club, money, retailer)

[Beretta]

GBH - the last time I was in Pittsburgh I asked them there the same thing!! LOL I was told that they are expanding to TN and other states (like TX) as well. Makes sense. And even if it doesn't, it'll make me happy

[jimlee]

Costco already has 2 stores in Nashville:

West Nashville
(Distance: 6.2 miles)
6670 Charlotte Pike
Nashville, Tennessee
37209Brentwood
(Distance: 14.4 miles)
98 Seaboard Lane
Brentwood, Tennessee
37027

[goodbyehollywood]

Well, there you go, it must be coming to Knoxville then. Why put a third in Nashville when you have a waiting market to expand into?

[gemkeeper]

Originally Posted by goodbyehollywood

Well, there you go, it must be coming to Knoxville then. Why put a third in Nashville when you have a waiting market to expand into?

I wrote to Costco a month or so ago, GBH, thinking that if enough people knocked on their door they might let us in!

I got a lovely note back from their marketing people who said that they were constantly looking for new, viable areas to locate a Costco Store. (This is where I really started to hyperventilate and get hopeful.)

The note concluded that there was no news that could be made public at that time, but that they planned on opening many new stores in 2008. Errrrrr.

[Lysander]

I know Costco is interested in Knoxville and Chattanuga, and that both had been a possibility for Fall of '08, but at last word, both have been "pushed back". So, I, being an employee interested in both buildings as a transfer option, am still hopeful for a summer '09 opening.

At the same time I heard the earlier forcast, they had mentioned Asheville for 2010. On paper, they are talking big and ambitious, but it takes a long time for them to seal the deal...

Usually, they like to get a few prospective lots in mind. Then they have to survey them for sinkholes, creeks they can't build near and things like that, and see how big a Costco they can lay out there. Then their architects do their magic. Then they have to get that approved by local zoning laws. They usually have to get extensive restructuring of nearby roads and traffic lights and stuff like that. Then they negotiate a deal with the land seller, who usually wants to rent the land to them expensively, while Costco would much prefer to buy it out right out. While that is getting worked out, they also have to book the very specialized construction companies which are usually solidly-booked on other new Costco's or other companies building similar stores.

When all that is arranged, they are ready to go, and things happen very fast. They put the first shovel in the ground, pick a general manager, spend a month on transfers, another month on new hires and marketing, and the whole thing in usually ready from clearing the land to cutting the ribbon in 3-4 months. But they don't like to confirm ANYTHING until they have actually bought the land and started clearing the land, because Walmart and those like them will try to block the land-buy or out bid Costco.

That said, they usually like to have 3 or 4 locations per city, in mind before they analyze anything, so that the experts can check them all out at once, rather than having to check one, find out it won't do, then do it all over again for another lot.

That's the main gist of things... as I understand it anyway. Hope it clears some stuff for ya!

[Tn405]

Costco in Florida usually had great prices at their gas pumps. I love Costco.

[TedTAce]

Originally Posted by Lysander

I know Costco is interested in Knoxville and Chattanuga, and that both had been a possibility for Fall of '08, but at last word, both have been "pushed back". So, I, being an employee interested in both buildings as a transfer option, am still hopeful for a summer '09 opening.

At the same time I heard the earlier forcast, they had mentioned Asheville for 2010. On paper, they are talking big and ambitious, but it takes a long time for them to seal the deal...

Usually, they like to get a few prospective lots in mind. Then they have to survey them for sinkholes, creeks they can't build near and things like that, and see how big a Costco they can lay out there. Then their architects do their magic. Then they have to get that approved by local zoning laws. They usually have to get extensive restructuring of nearby roads and traffic lights and stuff like that. Then they negotiate a deal with the land seller, who usually wants to rent the land to them expensively, while Costco would much prefer to buy it out right out. While that is getting worked out, they also have to book the very specialized construction companies which are usually solidly-booked on other new Costco's or other companies building similar stores.

When all that is arranged, they are ready to go, and things happen very fast. They put the first shovel in the ground, pick a general manager, spend a month on transfers, another month on new hires and marketing, and the whole thing in usually ready from clearing the land to cutting the ribbon in 3-4 months. But they don't like to confirm ANYTHING until they have actually bought the land and started clearing the land, because Walmart and those like them will try to block the land-buy or out bid Costco.

That said, they usually like to have 3 or 4 locations per city, in mind before they analyze anything, so that the experts can check them all out at once, rather than having to check one, find out it won't do, then do it all over again for another lot.

That's the main gist of things... as I understand it anyway. Hope it clears some stuff for ya!

EXCELLENT info!! Thanks for the insight!!

Tn405: that's one thing I do miss about living in Florida, the 'cheaper' Costco Gas

[TCREEK]

Costco's wants to come to knoxville. They are not sure that they have enough name recognition in the market place......???? wonder how many names we could get on a petition................?????????

[stecia]

Costco would be great!! but how could it put a liquor store out of business?

[Sara Stokes]

I heard Costco executives can't decide whether to come to Knoxville so there is a new website up:

wewantcostco.com is an electronic petition for people who want one in Knoxville. . .

I heard they need 50,000 signatures and it will let them know we want one here