From NY1:Even in this recession, the registers are still ringing at a steady pace in many of the businesses along 63rd Road between 97th and 98th Streets. Yet news that Costco Wholesale Corporation may open a store just a block away has made some of the small business owners worry that the big box store could severely slash their bottom line.
"We don't want them in the neighborhood," said Met Foods manager Ray Lopez. "It's going to hurt the business. It's going to hurt. If I drop 25 percent, it's a lot of business to me."
Costco could replace a Home Depot store that pulled out of a deal to take space in the new Rego Center shopping mall which is slated to open early next year.
While there are a number of big box stores in the area, local business owners say they don't want in the area stores where shoppers can buy most of what they need all in one place.
"We didn't want the Wal-Mart, why would we want a Costco?" said Lopez.
Yet it might be too late to fight the plans. Last week, executives from Vornado Realty, the company developing the new shopping hub, told the local community board it is waiting for the final word from Costco.
16 comments:
Fu*K the thought that this store be prevented from opening.This happened to Walmart which would have benefited all consumers. NYC does not want successful stores that provide the lowest prices, excellent services and convience. Thus Costco fit this description too. If the unions cannot compete because they have nothing to offer than they should take a hike along with the POLS.
Have you seen the stores in Rego Park? They absolutely suck, and offer nothing of value. The competing Malls are scared of Costco because Costco is a great operator and brings real value to central Queens.
Say goodbye to more mom and pop businesses that pay taxes and have neighborhood owners that inject money back into the local economy. Say hello to more box stores and overdevelopment that receive tax breaks and pay minimum wage to peple who can't afford to spend money in the local economies. NY is no longer the land of opportunity. By the way, I hate that these big store employees don't know how to greet or say thank you.
You people love this crap.
Costco,Walmart, etc... you all shop there and they all suck!
None of you really care about the small owner anyway so stop it.
The ship sailed on local businesses Fifty years ago in Rego Park. As long as I remember the area had large department stores including Alexander's, Macys, Abraham and Strauss and so forth. This is the last neighborhood that should bemoan damage to small business.
By the way, Costco is very well-run and pays employees a living wage, unlike some of their competition.
For everyone complaining here: Target is NOT a great company, barely any better than WalMart for hourly employees, and they treat their salaried employees like crap. But we let them proliferate. Might as well let them face competition.
Stop all the hypocrisy.
99% of all the shopping we do is at giant retail outlets.
So please stop the nonsensical argument that we have to save "mom & pop" stores.
Actually, I haven't set foot in a "giant retail outlet" (outside of Duane Reade, for allergy medicine that they can't sell in regular stores) in quite some time. My local stores are where I shop or I shop at the stores near my job which has no big box stores close by.
Costco does pay it's employees well. They get great health care too. A fine Seattle company, unlike that backwards Arkansas based WalMart.
Starting salary for cashiers at Costco is over $10 bucks an hour. The median hourly rate for a Costco worker in NY is $19.59.
http://www.payscale.com/research/US/Employer=Costco_Wholesale_company/Hourly_Rate/by_State
They also have a 401(k) match up to 9 percent and a health care plan. Mom and Pop can't afford those kinds of benefits.
Local businesses might end up competing with Costco for labor as well as customers.
General studies on buisnesses such as Costco or Walmarts attract tremendous amounts of customers which feed into nearby stores. Many small store pay up to be closer to these big stores because they generate big customer traffic passing by. This is a win-win for both type of stores. Everyone is competing in a different way and those who do compete win new customers.
If the big box stores et up in rego Park and don't make money they will clse. If they do make money it means more people want them. Sometimes one store is better, sometimes another. Its called competition. Whats so complicated.
The price-gouging grocery owners in the area SHOULD be concerned about Costco! In the last year or so, I took as much of my business to BJs in Middle Village as possible. Huge savings! Now I'll have Costco literally across the street. I couldn't be happier!
The only issue I see of having a COSTCO in the REGO PARK MALL II area is obviously the parking. Most COSTCO stores I know have free parking. Most things bought at Costco requires a car since most items are sold in bulk. Anyone know how is COSTCO going to deal with the parking issue? Will the customers have to pay parking?
There will be parking in the new mall (Rego Center) and in the mall next door (Sears/Marshall). The trend in malls in Rego Park and Elmhurst is to charge customers to park while they shop. One has to pay to park in Queens Center, Queens Place, Rego Park I and Rego Center. The parking is indoors.
BJ's recently opened a store in Flushing and one has to pay to park. Again, the parking is indoors.
Keep in mind that parking is free in the BJ's in College Point and on Metropolitan Avenue. Parking is free at the Costco in Long Island City.
From an article I read, Costco will not open until August 2010 but emails to Costco.com come back saying they are NOT opening in the area. So we will have to wait and see what happens.
We need a store like Costco in the neighborhood. Not everyone shops in stores like Costco. I don't think the neighborhood stores will suffer that much.
I hope this is the LAST mall built in Rego Park/Elmhust. We have enough!! The traffic in the area is a nightmare!
The Costco in Harlem charges $4.70 for two hours worth of Costco fun.
Still worth it IMHO.
Good luck with Junction Blvd/Queens Blvd traffic. =/
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