The meats are excellent. Roasted chickens are cheaper at Costco than other places. We buy all our paper products, but we have adequate storage space. Liquor and wine, if available in your state. Cheeses, like the big chuck of Parmesan. Coffee beans. Butter.

Oh, lots of things. ;-)

The meat department cannot be topped for the quality/price. Yes - their full 3 lb. rotisserie chickens cannot be beat. I don't know what their meat department prepared food section will ofter in Tennessee. Here in Minnesota they offer a chicken pot pie and chicken tetrazzini that are excellent. They will serve 4 to 6 people. For a meal in a hurry try those. They are often handed out as samples. I'm sure there will be plenty of samples at the opening. Give everything a try. Each trip I have made to Costco over the past 12 years has been different. I have found jackets, planters, yard lights, small appliances. The list is endless.

You do have to know your stuff when it comes to the large quantities. Try to get on their manufacturer coupon book mailing list. The savings are even better.

I believe it is one of those places you should visit as often as you can. When they have a really great buy it goes in a couple of days - or sometimes hours. The giant planters I have out on the curved sidewalk leading up to my entry way are magnificant. I paid $20 a piece for them. And I regret not buying more than two.

And stuff like ribbon, Christmas trees and decorations, nursery stock, fertilizer.....lots of stuff besides food!

Have fun, Jude, I've never been to a Costco. We have one in Grand Rapids now but it's way down on the southwest side, about 15 miles further than the Sam's Club. Ah well, I can get my Michigan roasted Paramount coffee for $14 at Sam's Club for a 4 pound bag, so I'm happy.

I hear you can even buy coffins there, LOL. Ours doesn't seem to be giving Sam's Club a run for their money, though.

Annie

Good for you Jude. Like Teresa says "give everything a try". I have a Sam's and B.J.'s nearby, Costco is far away from me; but I guess that's a good thing or I would be buying way too much. I try to go to Costco quarterly.

Birthday cakes. Half sheet, custom decorated, $18. Great for groups.

Airline rewards: if you are like me and don't have Costco's AmEx, I buy Costco gift cards online to use for my warehouse payments. That way I get my airline points, since Costco won't take my Southwest Airlines Visa at the register.

Electronics: this is where we now buy our computers, printers, inks. No Apple.

We love their hummus and breads. Bagels are pretty good and priced well.

Wines! Wines! GREAT selection of good and not-so-good bottles.

I'll pick up clothing as well, tops only since you can't really try on anything. DH loves their athletic shoes for $15.

Coupon books: you don't need to clip. Just have your book with you, the savings is pretty much automatic. Ask your cashier to make sure.

That is true about the coffins -- the display is rather creepy...

Just know your prices. Some things that I depended on Costco for have gone up so much that they are just as cheap (or cheaper on sale) at other stores like Target. Cat litter, for example, is no longer a bargain there.

I like their meat but I am not fond of how thick they cut it there (steaks and chops). I can usually get a better price on meat at Meijer (which sells UDA prime). I do like Costco freshly ground - ground beef for sure!

The thick cut steaks and chops are just the way we like them! They carry USDA Choice meats, and you can occasionally get Prime. Yes, real Prime.

Their gas pumps opened a couple of weeks ago but when we stopped to gas up they only accepted AmEx or debit cards. No cash, checks or other credit cards. Since we didn't have AmEx or don't use a debit card we just left. I since have gotten a new debit card. I most always write a check for groceries, which I'm supposing they will accept now that the store is opening.

Thanks for the recommendations.

jude

They have some of the best Christmas Food Baskets for the best prices. We have given them as gifts for years. Also great buy on Walkers shortbread cookies in the big tin and other high end candies and cookies. We love their really thick pork chops especially when there is a coupon. And also their pork roasts are a good deal. Super large take-and-bake pizzas are a good buy. We also buy all our paper goods there because we have cabinets in the garage where we keep them. If you don't have storage, not so good a deal. I buy my printer's ink cartridges there because they have the best price. They have good quality Spring and Fall flower bulbs. Get a lot in the package and they are a good size and grow well. We always buy all our car's tires there. And we even bought a shed kit that DH put together over the summer. It was cheaper than buying all the materials separately.

Like someone else said, bring a price book in with you of what food you buy at the other grocery stores so you can compare prices. What use to be a good deal years ago is not anymore. Like their own brand of cola, Safeway's own brand is cheaper.

Take the tour and check things out before buying.
Clare

Jude - I assume you know that Costco is a member-only store? Membership costs $55 per year. It give you two cards - you can share with another person (doesn't have to be family) and split the cost. Otherwise I've been told you can buy a gift card and use that without being a member. I've never tried it since I LOVE Costco and wouldn't be without my membership for anything!

Note that Costco stores differ by region. We've bought at Costco's in Hawaii (macadamias, Kona coffee, fresh poke), Quebec (great cheeses), San Francisco (Acme herb slab bread), Fairbanks (hot-smoked salmon). In New England where we used to live, we got King Arthur's flour for great prices. In the Southwest where we now live you can buy pinto beans in 25 lb bags, and green chili in forms I hadn't imagined.

Standard buys: organic salad greens - mesclun, baby spinach ($4/lb); spices - Vietnamese cinnamon at about $2.50 for 8 oz; Tellicherry peppercorns about the same price; jumbo scallops (under 8/pound) $14/lb; Copper River salmon (in season) $15/lb; Kalamata olives, pitted - around $6/lb, unsalted butter around $8 for 4 lbs, Kirtland peanut butter at $2/lb (just recalled) and Skippy for the same price (I use this for the suet cakes I make for the birds).

We buy a lot of their cheeses - chevre at about $5/lb, cambazola for $12/lb, genuine Parmigiano-Reggiano for about $10/lb, Dubliner for $6/lb.

I found canned organic peeled tomatoes at $2.80 for 6 lbs; organic pasta at 6 packs for 6 lbs; wines at great prices - they post reviews from Wine Spectator or other independent reviewers to help you choose.

We buy gas there regularly, they have good prices most of the time (I use gasbuddy to check area prices before filling up). We've bought electronics there - flat-screen TV, computers - because of their warranty which is the best in the business. I got hearing aids there this year. Costco's price was about half list. We've gotten prescription glasses and ink cartridges for printers. You get the picture. I'm the poster child for Costco!

Unlike the others in this thread, I seldom buy meat from Costco because I insist on free-range, humanely raised meat. Unless I can feel confident that the animals are treated humanely, I won't buy meat. Our Costco sells organic Colman chickens which I buy sometimes (about $2.25/lb for whole birds).

I'm a careful shopper so I keep track of prices. Costco isn't always the best value. But their return policy is the best. If you're not happy with anything, they'll refund the full amount, no questions. I think there's a time limit of a year on most things, but I don't remember.

Cheryl

The steaks are usually packaged in three or four-packs. They are cut so large that we cut them in half. Their organic ground beef is 75% grass-fed so are more nutritious than regular. The rotisserie chickens are ridiculous - big, fat, juicy, tasty and five bucks! I stopped roasting chix at home, because, uh, why?! LOL. Don't forget to make soup out of the leftovers.

They carry Kerrygold grass-fed butter - again, more nutritious.

Milk, heavy cream and half-and-half are far cheaper than supermarket or anywhere else. I buy the large half-and-half each week for the office coffee.

They carry gourmet cheeses - bries, manchego, parmesan, etc. A nice selection. Yes, you have to buy a large wedge, or a two-pack of brie. But cheese lasts.

Seasonal items are sold early and if you miss out, you miss out.

Vegetables and fruits are bulk-packed so I don't buy everything I need there - I don't eat that much broccoli! But I buy the box of sweet potatoes and keep them in the cool garage.

If you have a neighbor or friend who also can't eat that much of one thing, or don't have space to store that huge pack of toilet paper, you could shop together then split stuff.

Merchandise will vary since they like to buy some local items and also take the local tastes into consideration. I hear the Hawaii Costcos are THE place to shop when in the islands, but I haven't been to one yet.

Cheryl, we have already purchased our cards and got a $10 gift card as well. So is AmEx the only credit card they accept. I use LLBean's Visa...get gift card dollars off at LLB in return. But I can use my debit card so don't think that will be a big deal.I think this will be frustrating as well as fun. Did the same thing when TJoes' opened a couple of months ago.

Definitely know your prices, Jude. Since I'm in Canada, the savings here won't mean anything to you, but Costco is the cheapest by far for quinoa, for instance.

Stir-fry, the kitty litter here is far cheaper than anywhere else (7.99 for 27kg) I always notice the number of people that have the kitty litter in their carts.

We love the Cascades toilet paper, or the Kirkland if the Cascades isn't available. The Cascades is a little "stiffer" but there are more rolls in the package and it's cheaper than the Kirkland brand. Kirkland toilet paper is the #1 product sold at Costco.

As mentioned, their return policy is fantastic. I actually bought my flat-panel LED TV there a couple of weeks ago. They have a 2-year warranty for members, and for $29.99 I bought at extra 3-year warranty. So I'm set in case of any problems.

I helped with a big wedding a couple of months ago.

Got all the flowers there, much cheaper.

dcarch

Jude - yes, Amex is the only card they accept. They have their own Costco Amex card which gives you money back on purchases, not only at Costco. They give you 3% on gas, 2% on travel and restaurants, and 1% on anything else.

There's also an Executive membership which we just signed up for. It costs $110 a year and Costco gives you 2% back on purchases from them. You have to buy at least $2750 a year to break even, but if you don't, they will refund you the extra $55 you paid for the Exec membership.

Obviously I'm an addict! What I like is that they look for good value, not just the lowest price. And they have enough organic and fair-trade items to satisfy my conscience.

Cheryl

I belong to Sams and to Costco. While the food selection at Sams is good, I find Sams is better for small business stuff--paper goods, office supplies, Office furniture--while Costco is more oriented to the upscale consumer. Great meats, great selection of whole bean coffees, and lots of precooked foods like casseroles and the like. (Yes, I know this is a cooking forum, but sometimes you need a night off--and their selections are quite good.)

For steaks we get the whole loin and take to the meat window. The butchers will cut the steaks to your desired thickness.

The only think I don't like about going to Costco is the final bill. We only go about every other month and I always know that it is going to be high. Ouch!

I hate Costco because they built a huge store (with gas, etc) close to my house in Venice and completely changed the neighborhood traffic patterns - added their own traffic signal to control traffic just for their own parking lot, where you could never find a parking space anyway. I tried to go to the store several times but could never park, and when I did get inside, it was such a zoo with such intense crowds that I vowed never to go there again. Plus I do not at all like the idea of having to be a "member" for the priviledge of shopping somewhere. I would only go there with someone who had a membership card. One of the reasons we moved away from Venice was that the traffic had gotten so bad, and Costco had a major effect on that - the traffic more than doubled on Washington Blvd after they opened. Their location used to be a huge vacant lot where Christmas trees were sold seasonally. Costco also closed off certain streets when they built on the property, making it impossible to go around them the back way. I'll never forgive them for that! I would have had to go on bicycle to shop there, and then I would only be able to buy would I could carry in a backpack.

If you like to buy in bulk and store massive quantities, you might save money, but I do not have room for that kind of storage.

I was also rear-ended on Washington Blvd by someone leaving the Costco parking lot. I hear that the South Bay store is not so bad, but I do know others here who will not shop at the Costco in Marina Del Rey because of the inadequate parking lot and horrible traffic - think crowded shopping mall just before Christmas.

Someone gave me some Waterford crystal wine glasses for my house-warming in Venice that they had bought at Costco, and I did very much appreciate those.

Lars

The whole bean coffees are a great deal. Their store brand selections (kirkland) are usually better than Starbucks (which they also sell). They change their selections so you will usually find Columbian beans but will see only one other style at a time. They also carry other good brands.

The Christmas trees are also a great deal. I used to buy trees at a local lot and by New Years they were a waiting fire bomb. Now living in North Carolina where many of the best trees are grown, I started buying fresh cut trees for ~$50. They were still un-burnable weeks after being thrown outside. The COSTCO trees were just as good and safe and perhaps fuller for $29!!

They often have nice dutch ovens and other cooking equipment.

As others have said, the return policy is, we take it back if you don't like it (food or whatever, except only 3months for electronics), no questions asked; and they don't really need your receipt if you can estimate when you bought it because they will just look it up.

Remember, they also sell to some small wholesalers so seasonal items are often sold ahead of the season. I suppose this doesn't really apply to food items.

Another thing to mention is that if you are very brand-loyal -- you might not like Costco. For instance, if you only like Ragu, they only sell Prego. If your cat likes Tidy Cats, you are out of luck because they only sell Fresh Step litter.

One more thing to add to the list is great prices on dried spices (if you like large containers of them!).

Amex is the only card they accept.

At the registers. As I posted above, they will take ALL credit cards....if you pre-purchase Costco gift cards online. You can buy gas with them as well!

Good tip jessy.

I 100% agree with the meats. They cannot be beat.

We also used their car buying program to buy a Hybrid Fusion we saved over $7000.00 on the car fully loaded by going through their program.

My MIL and I joke about going there for dinner. By the time we have ate all the samples we feel like we have had a meal. I told my son he could take his mother out for a cheap date there. lol.

One thing I like about Costco is that they provide almost all of their employees with health insurance (>80% I think), and pay is higher than typical for retail work. You can google up the details, it is pretty interesting.

Haven't been in any warehouse store in ages. Whenn I did have a membership... called it the $100 Club... could NEVER get out without spending at least $100?!?

Was always CRAZY on weekends, so would stick to week days. And, unlike supermarket shopping, didn't miind going in HUNGRY! They always had several stations where you could sample things. As long as I remembered I didn't have freezer space for many bulk items, I was OK.

Bought a hunka beef tenderloin (like a chateau briand) that became 4-5 nice sized, DELICIOUS and tender steaks.

A few years ago, picked up nails/screws in TWO tires within 6 months of each other. Nail was in a place where tire could NOT be successfully plugged... fast stop of really quick turn woulda made tire collapse... HAD to replace tires. SHopped around at several of the "tire" places in area... $200-ish a piece everywhere. Found them (EXACT type that was ruined) at Costco for a little over $100... abut $125 nce the mounting/balancing was done.

Was mocked by sister when I bought a HUGE jar of capers... more than half gallon, I'm sure. I re-packaged and resealed in SMALL canning jars... she didn't turn up her nose at a few of those!

Was gonna buy candy bars for Halloween once. Price per bar was great compared to individually. But when I realized I had something like $40 worth of candy... said, NAH!

Chocolate chips
Granular yeast (costs 8 times as much at local grocery)
Raw nuts
(in fact, everything for baking)
Laundry and cleaning products
English muffins

The Kirkland brand kitty litter is the best kitty litter I have ever used, and, believe me, I have used all the brands out there. The Kirkland brand neutralizes the odor extremely well - in fact can't even smell it.