Why I love Costco

When I was a little kid, my grandmother and I bonded over Costco. In my house, the kitchen was almost alien in its escape from American culture junk food. The fridge was usually stocked with nonfat milk, fruit, mustard, hot sauce, yogurt and leafy greens. The only canned products in the house were canned veggies and vegetarian brands of soup and chili (Hain comes to mind).

Even our breakfast cereal was devoid of typical brands. I remember puffed wheat being a classic staple, along with Cream of Wheat and the big jar of Quaker Oats.

So going to Grandma's house ensured a taste of American junk food. She still had funny things in her fridge - the freezer section was always stocked to the tilt with Weight Watchers frozen dinners, and she had sugar-free whole-wheat oatmeal raisin cookies for me in the fridge.

However, Grandma was big on stocking the fridge in her garage for her grandkids. She kept about 100 cans of carbonated drinks at all times out there, along with huge, economy size bags of cheese puffs and pretzels. Grandma was big on bagged popcorn, too.

Anyway, Grandma loved Trader Joes, Boneys and Costco. Since Costco is the only California grocery staple that I actually have here in BFE Georgia (where the Fuc& is Safeway, dammit?)
I feel a sense of home when I go.

Right after I got married, Grandma bought a lifetime membership to Costco, and gave me the second card. I was thrilled. Somehow, the idea that I can still go there and get a gallon of milk for $0.50 less than Walmart is a real thrill.

I still love that place. I like that they sell things that I find useful. I like the fact that they sell mozzarella in olive oil. I like that their premade supreme pizza is the bomb. I like the fact that they usually carry a better selection of toys for christmas than any other place. I especially like going there after she died 3 years ago. I know it would make her happy that I could walk around there, find great things to buy, and spend way too much money and only feel guilty about it for an instantaneous moment.

The New York Times business section loves Costco, too. Buy some stock. I don't usually feel so warmhearted about Corporate America.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/17/business/yourmoney/17costco.html?pagewanted=1&ei=5087&en=0b14b03b0352416d&ex=1137297600&mkt=bizlink2