Costco Connection | August | Cover Story | Member mania!

Cover Story

Left to right: Janina Resus, Di Honorio, Jan Resus and Krystin Cousart
courtesy of Di honorio

Member mania!

It’s no secret that people who love Costco really love Costco and are always ready to share that love with anyone who will listen. On the following pages, you’ll meet a handful of just such members who are passionate about their favorite shopping destination.

stories by T. Foster Jones

Best buds and best buys

Di Honorio • Calgary, Alberta

Di Honorio shares how Costco has helped keep their friendships strong. “My best friends and I are bona fide Costco lovers. We love Costco so much we got matching Kirkland Signature™ pullovers and had a mini photo shoot at our favorite [warehouse] in Calgary.

“Ever since the beginning of the pandemic we’ve planned monthly Costco runs together, and it is always a blast showing up in our ‘uniform’ and getting asked by random passersby where a certain item is.

“As corny as it sounds, our friendship has deepened thanks to the food, fun and awesome finds at Costco. We all park on a certain side of the building, have a tried-and-true warehouse walking route and even have each other’s Food Court orders memorized!

“You can be sure we will all be members for life!”

Sample set

Kelly Chambers • West Chester, Pennsylvania

“I am Costco obsessed. I’m in all the social media fan clubs, know all your award-winning products and have convinced countless friends to join Costco. I am raising Costco-obsessed offspring as well! For Halloween trick-or-treating, at their request, our 3-year-old twin daughters, Eleanor and Charlotte, asked us to help them dress up as Costco sample girls.”—Kelly Chambers

Costco ink

Gina Shaffron • Fort Worth, Texas

Gina Shaffron, whose love for Costco inspired her to work for the company, writes: “To say I’m crazy for Costco is an understatement. I am 100% obsessed with Costco! It has been my happy place since I was a baby. For the past 14 years I can honestly say I have my dream job. Mostly all my clothes—pretty much everything I own—even my auto insurance is through a Costco Services provider. And my favorite tattoo is definitely my Costco tattoo! I loved showing Craig Jelinek, the greatest CEO.”

True Love

Pamela Anderson • Edmonton, Alberta

“My husband and I are so crazy for Costco that we took our wedding photos inside the Nisku, Alberta, location. We purchased our wedding bands from Costco as well as all of our fine jewelry. Whenever we go on vacation we make Costco one of our first stops in order to check the similarities and differences.”—Pamela Anderson

Birds of a feather

Leslie Ann Bosher • Murrieta, California

Leslie Ann Bosher shares: “My three favorite things are: travel, caring for my wild feathered friends, and shopping at Costco. I delight in watching birds waiting on nearby trees for their turn to feed at my treasured birdhouse, a replica of a rural North Carolina gas station, which notes the mileage to [among other sites] Costco!”

Did Costco start in 1941?

Laura Michel • St. Charles, Missouri

“My dad, Myron Schumacher, is crazy for Costco. So much so, that in 2021 my siblings and I threw him a Costco-themed 80th birthday party. All the food and beverages were purchased from Costco, we had sample stations with workers, themed decor and flowers, and our local Costco manager provided us with old marketing materials that we used to replicate a Costco [warehouse].

“We asked the guests to dress in Costco attire. They really stepped up to the challenge! We had a blast and reinforced my dad’s love of all things Costco.”—Laura Michel

“We did an adult group costume as Costco samplers for Halloween! The photo above shows two of our friends, James and Jackie Clague, getting into the sample spirit.”—Julie Andrasik

“My husband and I are known as the Costco fanatics among our friends and family, to the point where we named our cat after our favorite brand: Kirkland Signature™!”—Charlene Wu

First-year membership

Gonzalez family • Canton, Massachusets

When Mason’s first birthday approached, Josie and Sebastian Gonzalez’s friends suggested Costco as the party theme.

Sebastian and his 4-year-old daughter, Madison, went all in, creating everything from an “Employee of the Year” sign (which honored Mason for his first 12 months in a row) to Costco-style food signs. Even friends and family got into the spirit and wore hairnets and “I ‘Heart’ Kirkland” T-shirts to look like Costco employees.

“I do” love costco

Mariana and Gerardo Vieyra • San Antonio, Texas

Gerardo Vieyra, a huge Costco fan, always makes it a point to stop at Costco whenever they travel. He loves the place so much, his new bride, Mariana, even planned a surprise birthday party for him inside his local Costco Food Court for his 31st birthday.

It was only fitting for the couple to stop by Costco for a slice of pepperoni pizza after saying “I do,” still in their wedding attire.

Pajama party

Abraham Cho • New York City, New York

“My wife, Jordyn (far right), is notorious for her undying love for all things Costco. So, when she got a text from her sister-in-law [about] Costco-themed PJs, she went online that night and ordered a pair for herself, as did a number of her friends.”—Abraham Cho

Next-generation members

Samuel N. • Howell, New Jersey

Samuel N. writes: “As an ‘addicted’ member, I’m always happy to see that there’s a younger demographic joining the club.

“When my 8-year-old son, Yehuda, was playing with Legos, I asked him what he was building. He said, ‘Costco.’ He even made the tasting stations!

“Not to be outdone, my older son, Sol, with the help of the local warehouse, was able to dress up as a Costco employee.”