Sacramento’s newest Costco opening in North Natomas provides ‘once in a lifetime’ experience
Their dreams came true, said two capital residents, as North Natomas’ first Costco flung open its doors Thursday morning to hordes of eager shoppers.
Both Elsa Miller, 55, and Demetria Thompson, 45, had eagerly awaited perusing bargain deals in the 160,000-square-foot warehouse at 3881 E. Commerce Way at Arena Boulevard. But they didn’t wait overnight, such as the dozens who camped overnight to buy specialty alcohol.
By 7 p.m. Wednesday, about a dozen people shivered outside the warehouse bundled in warm clothing as cold winds swept in. It was a scene akin to Black Fridays of the past in which eager shoppers camped overnight to secure special offers.
Miller and Thompson simply walked away with regular grocery items, opting to brave the heavy crowds for the experience.
“I can always say in the future that I was a part of the North Natomas (Costco) when they first opened,” said Thompson. She bought cheese and salmon after failing to find designer Louis Vuitton bags rumored on social media to be available.
“I feel like the (grand opening is) once in a lifetime,” said another Natomas shopper, Sonia Colunga, 40. “Because if I don’t come ... I feel like I missed it.”
It was special bourbon — such as Old Fitzgerald Whiskey — that motivated several shoppers to camp outside as early as Wednesday morning and wait in a line that wrapped around aisles once inside.
Among those who waited a day early were Natomas couple Elena, 52, and Dave Murray, 56, who said they hadn’t pitched camping chairs on Black Friday for years but were one of the first to claim a spot in line. Dave Murray arrived about 10 a.m. and his wife came a couple of hours later.
The pair, Costco members for decades, recalled how arriving at 6:30 a.m. to the new Costco in Linda in November was too late to secure a coveted deal.
The rare brands of whiskey motivated Fresno resident Barry Thepong, 38, to drive up to Sacramento and camp overnight starting from 12:30 a.m. Even Sacramento County Sheriff Jim Cooper purchased three bottles, including the Old Fitzgerald Whiskey, after joining the crowds.
“It’s like a collector’s edition, too,” Thepong said. “Whiskey can last for years.”
Thepong said he made friends of fellow shoppers overnight and planned to grab breakfast with them.
“It’s a community thing, too,” Thepong said.
It was that sense of community and excitement that was evident among the 500 or so cheering and clapping shoppers as Sacramento-area elected officials cut the ribbon.
There were more than 10,000 Costco members who walked through the doors on opening day, Sacramento City Councilwoman Karina Talamantes said on social media.
About 38,000 Costco members live near the North Natomas location, which prompted Costco officials to open the store on East Commerce Way, Talamantes said. The development, which sits off Interstate 5 and not far from I-80, features a handful of other new stores, as well as EV chargers.
The opening of the capital region’s 10th store is bound to shift traffic patterns, according to The Sacramento Bee’s interactive map analyzing drive times, which could make shopping a little less crowded at the locations near Cal Expo, south Sacramento, Citrus Heights, Arden Arcade, Rancho Cordova, Folsom, Roseville, Woodland and Elk Grove.
And another warehouse is scheduled to open in Loomis in mid-May, said Loomis town manager Wes Heathcock.
Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg — who said he bought a Costco membership on Thursday — couldn’t think of another event that would awaken hundreds of Sacramento residents at 7:30 a.m.
“This is what community is all about,” Steinberg said, as a sunrise gilded the crowd with light of a new day.
