With Costco warehouses all over the world, fans flock to their favorite locations, usually closest to them. But there is one store that receives both locals and tourists and has steadily become the busiest Costco in the world. Check out where the most Costco foot traffic is and some other popular locations you may want to check out.
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Where Is the Busiest Costco in the World?
The busiest Costco in the world resides on the island of Oahu in Hawaii, also known as the Iwilei Costco. Though there are four other Costco warehouses on the island of Oahu, the Iwilei location brings in more than twice as much in annual revenue than the average Costco location. This is due to a couple of factors, the most important being location.
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Why Is Iwilei the Busiest Costco?
Location is the biggest component of Iwilei being the busiest Costco location. Sitting right in the heart of residential and tourist areas, Iwilei is near downtown Honolulu. Costco estimates that one in four people living in Oahu have a Costco membership, and with a population of 950,000, the numbers add up quickly. In addition to all of the tourists visiting the island, the Iwilei location is never empty.
For locals, Costco warehouses are an affordable option to buy bargain groceries and gas, especially when prices are so high in Hawaii due to import costs. It makes their lives easier, and when out-of-state members come on vacation, it makes sense that they want to shop at their favorite wholesaler. Locals don’t mind the extra traffic in their stores, since the Iwilei location is right next to Best Buy and Home Depot, eliminating trips to other stores.
Second Busiest: Tokyo Makuhari (Chiba), Japan
The Tokyo Makuhari warehouse in Chiba, Japan is the second busiest Costco in the world. There are several reasons why the store is so popular with natives and tourists, mainly surrounding the unique offerings, affordability, and range of Western food and snacks.
A luxury item in Japan, Western food is mixed with Japanese products on the shelves, providing a wider range of food and offerings than other warehouses. Plus, these items are often cheaper than at other stores. The Makuhari warehouse is also known for its fresh sushi, affordable Wagyu beef, and Japanese electronics like rice cookers. Tourists and expats who are familiar with Western food help contribute to its popularity and keep its aisles full of shoppers.
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Third Busiest: Los Angeles (Marina Del Rey), U.S.
California is full of people, so it only makes sense that one of their locations would be the third busiest Costco in the world. The Marina Del Rey location in Los Angeles receives lots of foot traffic from all different groups: tourists, locals, and even those looking to fill up their rental car tank before heading to LAX International Airport.
While the store itself may not be too busy on certain days, the location of the warehouse is where the traffic bottlenecks. The Costco shares a parking lot with the Costco Gas Station and an In-n-Out, making it hard to come and go without stopping. The gas station often sees travelers looking to fill up their tank before returning a rental, while the fast food chain draws a crowd of tourists and locals alike.
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Fourth Busiest: Seoul Yangjae-dong (Sapyeong-daero), South Korea
Head over to South Korea for the fourth busiest Costco in the world. Located in Seoul Yangjae-dong, the warehouse is placed strategically in one of the wealthiest areas in Seoul. The Costco attracts shoppers both from the area and the surrounding affluent neighborhoods.
What makes this Costco popular is its food selection. With lots of bulk options at bargain prices, Costco has more affordable items than several other competitors in the same location. Plus, the Seoul Yangjae-dong has a wide variety of Korean and international items in both the food and electronics sections.
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Next 6 Busiest Costco Locations
There are plenty of other busiest Costcos in the world. Check out this list of the next six busiest Costcos, and see if your local warehouse fits the bill.
- Melbourne Docklands, Australia
- Salt Lake City, U.S.
- Birmingham, United Kingdom
- Burnaby, Canada
- Taichung Dajia, Taiwan
- Tlalnepantla, Mexico
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What Makes a Costco Busy?
Most of these stores have increased shoppers due to tourism, with some peaking in sales during ski season or summertime vacations depending on their locations.
There are busy Costco locations around the world, but some stand above the rest in popularity and foot traffic. Costco warehouses are a favorite for the deals they offer and their membership perks are hard to beat. If you don’t mind the crowds, check out the busiest Costco in the world in Iwilei, Hawaii.