The aisles are stocked and the staff has been trained to assist crowds of shoppers at the new Costco Wholesale in Cedar Park, which is scheduled to open at 8 a.m. Nov. 22.
The wholesale club membership retailer, located at 4601 Toll 183A, has hired 170 people and transferred about 102 employees, Marketing Membership Coordinator Stephanie Honerlah said. More than 30,000 members, including around 3,000 new registrants, are expected to shop at the Cedar Park location, she said.
The Washington-based warehouse offers name-brand and private-label merchandise and services in departments including bakery, deli, meat, produce, bed and bath, electronics and others. The store also offers a 16-pump gas station, an on-site optometry office, a hearing aid center, a pharmacy, a tire center and a liquor store.
The 153,700-square-foot facility—the largest in the Central Texas region—is Costco's 22nd warehouse in Texas and the 460th in the U.S., according to the company. Membership cost starts at $55 per year.
In addition to the 16-acre Costco property, the retailer will anchor and develop the surrounding 33 acres left in the town center. In June, restaurants In-N-Out Burger and BJ's Brewhouse announced plans to join the development by early 2014. The total commercial value after build-out is estimated at $38 million, according to Cedar Park city staff.
The city of Cedar Park incentivized construction of Costco in a development agreement approved by City Council in September 2012. Costco, the city and landowner Cedar Park Town Center LP agreed to split sales tax and property tax collections for up to 15 years or $6 million, whichever occurs first. In exchange, the developer must invest at least $1.33 million in infrastructure improvements, which includes the completed bridge over the Cedar Park Town Center pond, greenbelt upgrades, utilities and deceleration lanes along FM 1431 and Toll 183A, according to city staff.
According to the company, Costco has 71 million cardholders throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, England, Scotland, Wales, South Korea, Taiwan, Australia and Japan.
Updated Nov. 21 at 11:16 a.m. CST