DULUTH – The long-rumored arrival of Costco is now closer to reality.
Costco files plans for first Duluth store
The membership-only retailer is looking at a large property near the airport.
October 12, 2019 at 1:43AM
The warehouse retail chain has filed conceptual plans with the city, Duluth spokeswoman Kate Van Daele confirmed Friday.
Costco is eyeing a large property at Haines Road and W. Arrowhead Road, not far from the Duluth International Airport. Plans include a liquor store and gas station. Whether the company breaks ground next spring or at a later time remains to be seen as plans are "still being ironed out," Van Daele said.
Costco is notoriously tight-lipped about future locations, saying on its website that it "cannot comment on locations that will be opening more than three months from today."
The membership-based retailer is building a 354,000-square-foot distribution center in Owatonna, which will likely make the logistics of a store at the northern end of Interstate 35 more feasible. The closest Costco store to Duluth is near Brainerd.
"Our growth is dependent, in part, on our ability to acquire property and build or lease new warehouses and depots," the company said in a Securities and Exchange Commission filing.
The retailer has 10 locations in the state, with one in Eagan slated to open next month. According to the website Glassdoor, wages for cashiers will range from $12 to $22 an hour at that location.
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