Cornwall Being Invaded by Costco – Door to Door Reps Hunting for New Members! by Jamie Gilcig

Two Costco reps were walking Pitt Street trying to sign up members for a new store opening in one of  Tracy Peter’s fave shopping areas,  Vaudreuil Dorion.      The reps explained that they were in town for Ribfest and are signing up Cornwallites with a special promotion.

Sadly they said that there are no plans to open a store in Cornwall which should disappoint long time CFN viewer Miss Steak.

The retailer features a wholesale like shopping experience that consumers normally pay a membership to enter and is known for paying its employees much better than some of their competition like Wal-Mart.

Do you want a Costco to come to Cornwall dear CFN viewers?  Do you shop at Costco?

You can post your comments below.

 

41 Comments

  1. I shop at Costco about once a year but have never held a membership, if you have a gift card for the store you can go in and shop.

  2. Ain’t going to happen. Sadly, Cornwall has too small a population for Costco to consider opening here.

  3. Costco would literally be the end of grocery stores in Cornwall and it is worse than Wal Mart at taking business away. We did shop at Costco but just for cigarettes and Costco here in Ottawa gave up the sale of cigarettes so now my husband has to go to regular stores for what he wants. I personally do not care to shop at Costco and on Innes road area of Costco there are way too many cars and accidents that they have a cop directing traffic and they are supposed to move from there and go elsewhere. My husband took out a membership ever since we have been in Ottawa and now that membership is useless to him. Again Costco would destroy all businesses in Cornwall and that is the truth.

  4. Author

    Jules I think you’re wrong on this. Costco appeals to a certain type of shopper and while it would impact Walmart I think it would be a positive addition to Cornwall. That they are in Vaudreul Dorion and not here is an indctiment of our economy. The scarier thing would be “Brock Vegas” getting one before us.

  5. On the West Island (Montreal) a business called Club Price existed over 30 years ago. This business is of course now known as Costco. The Price Clubs in Ontario also became part of the Costco family. I have been a member for over 30 years. I shop usually at the Innes Rd. location in Ottawa East. Since the trip up is a regular weekly (dinner, entertainment or general shopping) occurrence adding Costco is both convenient and cost effective. The cost of the membership can easily be recouped in one or two visits.

  6. Mr. Oldham that is where my husband and I went for cigarettes and now they don’t sell anymore since May 27 and when I spoke to Costco out on Merrivale Rd. near the Toyota dealer they told me that all Costco stores except for Kanata and Gatineau will not sell anymore cigarettes. Some of my daughter’s former co-workers shop at Costco. We have not found it to be much of a savings and prefer to shop at Your Independent. My husband purchased cigarettes at Giant Tiger on Walkey Rd here in the South End but they are moving to Prescott withing a year’s time. My daughter commented that the place was a dump like where she works just now until she finishes her course at college vying for a better job. I find Cornwall is too small for Costco and would literally take a lot of business away from the other stores in Cornwall and that is true. All we see are shopping carts full of goods and running everyone down coming out of the store. Costco on Innes Rd. (east Ottawa) is moving to another location later and has to have a cop directing traffic that is how bad things are.

  7. I agree with Admin. The only local store that would be affected in Cornwall is Walmart. But Cornwall is too small, in population, for Costco to consider locating here. With five locations (Vaudreuil-Dorion, Gloucester, Pointe Claire, Nepean and Gatineau) located within 1½ hours Cornwall doesn’t need one. Grocery stores would not have to worry. People that shop at Costco usually shop in bulk. Who needs to pick up enough ketchup to last a year in one shopping trip?

  8. Jules, what you see as a bad thing Costco sees as a good thing. Needing a police officer to direct traffic means business is good.

  9. I do shop at Costco, and I enjoy the $avings. I wish we’d have a local Costco here but that will never happen.

  10. Hugger I never said that Costco was bad. If Cornwall had a population of at least 100K then Costco would be a good idea. I speak my mind and all of you know that and yes business at Costco is very good and so much so that your Farm Boy, and all other stores would go down hill. Costco is good for big families that eat a lot of stuff but in a family like ours we are only 4 adults and if we had to eat like swhat Costco sells we would be bigger than this apartment. LOL LOL. ROLF! I have priced the cost of detergent that I use for laundry and it is no more expensive at Wal Mart than Costco. Wal Mart and Costco are very similar. If Cornwall can get its population to be a great deal higher I would cheer you all on but it takes population to have such a place so as not to bankrupt other stores. My husband and I shop at Your Independent and the odd time at Wal Mart when we are there for other things. We don’t buy meat at Wal Mart at all nor do we go to Food Basics for meat. I like to go to Metro as well but the prices are high but keeps a lot of the rif raf out. Where my daughter works it is a living nightmare and tomorrow she works and is dreading it – at least it is only once every two weeks.

  11. Ottawa has a population of at least 900K and growing and that doesn’t count Gatineau and other areas. The towns outside of Montréal are populous compared to Cornwall. Do you all see the changes necessary to change Cornwall? You need to stay away from the clique and change your ways in order to have growth and employment to the town. The clique kept Cornwall behind all these years and throw them out of town for good. If the clique goes elsewhere nobody would look at them except in laughterin histerics of how rediculous they all are. Cornwall’s population is only 43K if you are lucky. The other stores would go bankrupt if Costco goes there with such a tiny population.

  12. Wal Mart would be in a race for its life and that is the truth but so would the other stores as well. If you have a large family to feed then Costco is something to look into. I remember one time my husband and I just went around the isles to see what they had and their prices, etc. Costco had a huge pack of blueberries and at a good price – great for making muffins and coffee cakes, etc. If I baked all these things for just the four of us we would not be able to get through the door. LOL LOL. ROLF! Everything is in bulk and you would have to freeze a lot of your food. I found some Lebanese Hummus but with spices in it and I make that home made and at portions that my family can eat. If you have a family of 6 kids or more then Costco would be beneficial to you. You can get your pet foods there as well. Oh yes Costco sells TV’s and other things and yes they would give Wally World a run for their money. I like Wally World and I stick with them.

  13. Jamie, damn tooting I shop at COSTCO, actually, I shop at one in Florida in the winter. I’m a real fan ! I enjoy everything about COSTCO. They are an excellent company, very good quality ( their meat is un-real) , however, they don’t carry a full range of grocery products. It can be hit & miss, not having the same products. Best place to buy seasonal plants, where can you get a huge all beef hot-dog with a large pop for $1.50 ? Love the place. In NAPLES, it’s the cheapest place to buy gas…. I do agree, Cornwall will never see one ! If, it’s good enough for the wife of our Development Manager, it has to be good for us “little guys” ! I thought , I had a “FROSTY” sighting yesterday, but could not confirm it !

  14. The only local store that would be affected in Cornwall is Walmart. Farm Boy and other stores would not have to worry if Costco came to town. But they won’t have to worry; Costco will never come to Cornwall, unless we get our population base to over 100k. As for them not carrying a full line of groceries you have to remember Costco is not a grocery store. They sell in bulk. It has to make sense for Costco to carry a product. If they can’t get a good deal for bulk items they won’t carry the items. And as my wife says….you have to watch your prices. Sometimes Costco is cheaper, but not always, especially in smaller quantities.

  15. Jamie Vaudreuil/Dorion are just a little outside of Montréal (suburbs) and it would benefit the people who live far enough outside of the main city. Cornwall is far enough outside of Ottawa and Montréal and way too small a place to have a Costco. I wish that Cornwall’s population was higher but it isn’t – like the man that spoke about being in Cornwall since 1956 and the population hasn’t grown and has passed on recently what a dear man he was and made me laugh. The people of Cornwall have to change their ways. The population of Cornwall are mostly seniors and very few young people. Seniors don’t eat that much food so having a Costco in Cornwall would not be of much benefit. We watch what we spend on and are frugal people. The best is to cook from scratch and stretch meals. For those who shop at Costco here in Ottawa it doesn’t take much for you to come to Ottawa and shop and if you have family or friends who can come to Ottawa with you and get their groceries then that is a good thing to do. Our friend Robert has a big family and he and his wife used to go there for groceries and I think that his wife still goes there with her adult children who drive. Costco would not benefit us very much since we don’t have a big family nor do we eat that much food.

  16. Author

    Jules I think if Costco built here it would help grow our economy. Cornwall is a very viable market for the company and probably would have been a better choice than VD. With Massena just over the border, and the triangulation of points between Brockville, Casselman and East to the Quebec border or VD itself I’m sure the store would do well and I’m sure it would grow other businesses to our city too.

  17. Jamie it wouldn’t hurt giving Costco a shot and one thing is the clerks at that store earn more money than the other grocery chains. Yes with the surrounding areas it might help and it mighty help Cornwall to flourish. Something has to happen and also the people have to change for the better and not the way they are now. My daughter works in a rough place nearby and I will be meeting her soon to pick up a few items (no meat) just a few can goods and other such stuff. I looked at Food Basics in one of the toilet papers of record and how clean that store is compared to the one near us – that is where my daughter works. I will be meeting her there soon. Gee hardly a soul in that store in the picture and so clean. My daughter works at the worst Food Basics in Ottawa and it owuld literally turn your stomachs to see the dirt. My daughter is going to school and her marks are in the 90’s and she is hoping to get a good job when she is finished. I will be getting ready to go and meet my daughter to pick up some things.

  18. I agree that Costco should give Cornwall a shot. But that’s not how they think. We have the population IF you take into account the surrounding areas. But Casselman can’t be included. They’re closer to the Gloucester location. But as a base population Cornwall just doesn’t have what Costco wants.

  19. Author

    Hugger if we didn’t have what they want I don’t think they’d be sending a team to work us for memberships.

  20. Memberships for Vaudreuil-Dorion. It’s less than 45 minutes away.

  21. Jamie you would have to see what the population of Long Sault, Ingleside, St. Andrews and all the other communities comprise. All these little towns are farm size including Cornwall. My God my area alone is a great deal bigger than everything put together of Cornwall and area compbined. LOL LOL. When we went to Costco it was NON STOP literally and hard to find a parking and a cop is needed to direct traffic it cannot be described. All the stores and I mean all would literally fold if Costco went to Cornwall. If Costco can bring in more population to Cornwall to llive then give it a shot but I cannot see this happen. The only population that might hit Cornwall are the refugees.

  22. I don’t think having a Costco would affect local stores. Costco, basically, deals in bulk purchases; something no store in Cornwall does now. I think the only store to be affected by a Costco opening here would be Walmart.

  23. Costco sells in bulk and in no way could I shop at Costco with just the four of us adults. It takes a big family to be able to shop in that store or someone who has a restaurant and buys a lot for the restaurant which I have witnessed even among the sale of cigarettes. Robert (my husband’s friend) had a big family and always people at their house and Leila cooked a lot of meals. We don’t entertain much not in a long time and we are getting older and don’t eat that much. I do feel that it will hurt a lot of stores not just Wally World. We only shop at Wally World for some things and very little in food. We are picky eaters and try to buy the best as much as possible and our bills are high. The other day when I went out $66.00 was nothing compared to what we spend. That was only for a few items and WOW some few items.

  24. Do you think that Cornwall and area has the demographic base to support a Cosco. I think not.

  25. Mr. Oldham I have said that before that Cornwall does not have the demographic base to support Costco. My area alone in Ottawa is very big and tons of people not counting the area where Costco is located in the Gloucester subdivision. Vaudreuil/Dorion is on the outskirts of Montréal abd lots of people in those suburbs who go to Costco unlike Cornwall that has remained behind in growth of all sorts. No Costco would not survive in Cornwall and if it did the other stores would fold. Tomorrow we are headed to Wally World.

  26. Too bad, I love Costco and shop 4 or 5 times a year.

  27. Costco would literally destroy the stores in Cornwall. Cornwall is not big enough to have such a store and it is buying in bulk. We don’t shop there nor do many people. We shopped at Your Independent this morning as well as Wal Mart. Those of you who like Costco can shop in Ottawa or Montréal and such places. It would destroy the stores in Cornwall.

  28. My husband used to renew his card at Costco but no more since they stopped selling cigarettes. That is the only thing that we purchased at Costco. We purchase at Your Independent and some things at Wal Mart. We don’t buy in bulk since there are only the four of us. We purchase at Food Basics for some things as well. Cornwall is way too small much smaller than our suburbs here in Ottawa.

  29. If Costco were to go to Cornhole it would destroy your Farm Boy, Your Independent and all stores. My husband only purchased cigarettes at Costco and nothing else. Everything that is sold at Costco is in bulk and we are only four people in my household and it would be too much food for what we consume. It would give Wally World a run for their money but Wally World is more expensive.

  30. No concerns at Costco would never locate in Cornwall. Population wise it is just too small.

  31. Author

    Hugger it’s about economy and not population. Little Vaudreuil Dorion just got a Costco.

  32. I agree Admin demographics are key to the decision making process. Average income in Cornwall is approximately $45,000. In the surrounding counties the average income lies above the $70,000 dollar level. Lower population is compensated by a far higher yearly income and arguably more discerning or sophisticated shoppers.

  33. Vaudreuil Dorion has Montreal and neibouring municipalities to draw from. Cornwall does not have any large cities to draw from.

  34. Economics / population or whatever…..the short of it is Cornwall will never get a Costco. We often go to Vaudreuil Dorion instead of Cyrville. It’s a better organized store and closer.8caQH

  35. Jamie Vaudreuil and Dorion are suburbs on Montréal and you cannot count them the way we count Cornhole. Cornhole is not a suburb of Ottawa and it would literally destroy the businesses in Cornhole and that is the truth. We have seen people coming out of Costco in the east and wagons filled to the brim. We don’t shop that way and we go for quality. I am overweight as is without making it worse.

  36. Jules….Costco does sell quality merchandise, unlike Wal-Mart. Take a walk some time on a visitor’s pass, you’ll be surprised at teh brands you will see there.

  37. Yes, I would like to see a Costco in either Cornwall or Brockville.

  38. Slim and none!!

  39. It would be great to have Costco near Cornwall. It would service people from Winchester , Williamsburg, Morrisburg and all areas down to Cornwall which is quite a few.

Leave a Reply