ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. – In less than three weeks, people living in St. Johns County will no longer have to travel over 20 miles to the closest Costco.
The wholesale retailer is opening a store at World Commerce Center in St. Augustine. The 152,000-square-foot store, purchased for $2.5 million, will include a tire center, liquor store and gas station.
Costco General Manager Nash Myers gave us a sneak peek inside on Monday.
“We’ve had comments in the other locations; bring one down to Palm Coast, bring one to St. Johns County, bring one here,” Myers said. “It’s such a populated area.”
The new location is bringing more employment opportunities to the community including partnerships with local vendors.
“Local jobs were 150 new jobs for this area,” Myers said. “So, it’s been very exciting and a great response to our job applications.”
The new store comes as prices continue to rise. Consumer prices jumped 9.1% over the last 12 months, according to a report by the Labor Department. Costs surged for gas, housing, and food. Food costs are up 1% following a 1.2-percent increase in May.
To save some extra cash some financial experts recommend buying in bulk.
Here’s a look at some options to buy wholesale:
- Baking ingredients
- Bread
- Canned and frozen fruit and veggies
- Canned salmon, tuna, and sardines
- Dried beans and freeze-dried coffee
Some of the worst foods to buy in bulk include:
- Big containers of junk food
- Cheese
- Fresh or frozen fish
- Olive oil
Costco has 833 locations worldwide, with 574 in the United States, according to its website.
This new Costco in St. Augustine is one of six new locations nationwide. Its official opening date is August 3 at 8 a.m.
Costco built its first Jacksonville store in 2000 on Gate Parkway by the Markets at Town Center.