Costco Wholesale — Attraction in Rockwall

I’ve been a Sam’s Club member since the mid 1980’s. I had a guest membership to Costco when they opened a location in Arlington. I’ve loved shopping at Costco as much as Sam’s club. I just didn’t see the need to have two warehouse memberships.

Over the years, family size decreased, I found myself lowering the magnitude of my spending at the wholesale rate. Some significant changes have occurred over the years, some slowly and some not so slow.

I have shopped Costco with friends and family over the last six years, and we all know sharing a membership card isn’t acceptable at the Costco stores. This used to be a no-no at Sam’s club years ago. So, nothing new. However, I’ll admit shopping once or twice a year as a tag along, I noticed the difference in my joy of shopping switching to Costco.

I am not the easiest to flip as a customer to Costco, while also being a paid member at Sam’s Club. I loved shopping at Costco and my needs were still being met at Sam’s Club, was it just fun because it was different? Took me a few trips, several years, and a growing annoyance with Sam’s to make the switch.

The catalyst for my switch occurred while shopping Costco for the thanksgiving meal in 2023, helping a stage 4 cancer friend with her purchase (she was unable to go with me). My cart was full, I’ll admit a picked up a few items for me, but primarily the purchases were for the family dinner, my friend was unable to cook. So, I was buying prepped foods to help with her Friendsgiving dinner plans (she had to cancel).

I had picked up everything needed for A small gathering, maybe $200, I was denied purchase, even though I mentioned my friend was living and managing stage 4 cancer, ALONE… my friend was very upset. Thanksgiving 2023 dinner and supplies were a bust. I offered to buy ingredients and do the cooking, but her stove was broken. I was just helping out and passing through town for a visit before heading to my family’s thanksgiving.

My sister felt horrible for her and me, that I was unable to get the items for my friend. So, my sister gave me $100 to buy a membership for myself, now my Christmas gift can keep on giving.

The closest Costco is 70 miles, twice as far as Sam’s club. However, I’ve decided if I plan my shopping around my trips to visit family and pass through with a cooler, I’ll start buying from Costco.

I prefer Costco’s selection, quality, and personal items that I utilize more frequently. I am not renewing my Sam’s club membership in 2025.

I share a membership with my BIL and had to convince him to shop Costco once and then decide if he would drive out of his way to use Costco instead of Sam’s. We agreed to not buy two memberships.

I won’t go into detail about what made the difference, I can say… the bakery, named brand items, and the items I like for cooking and home goods selections exceed my expectations at Costco and frankly, have fallen short and flat over the last few years at Sam’s Club.

I am not a fan of Costco’s check out system, but I can deal with that few minutes of work.

This holiday season is coming and with my own membership I plan to shop for the pies, some gifts, some holiday seasonal treats that Costco carry’s and Sam’s club does not.

Finally… I am proud to say I have a Costco Membership and I prefer it over Sam’s Club! I never thought I’d say these words…

For those of you on the fence, shop Costco as a guest, look for your preferred options and make your own choice. In this economy, cost vs value is not the only metric to decision making, but it certainly matters. For me, quality and taste, is higher on my priority list. I do not like anyone’s pumpkin pie, for whatever reason, I love Costco’s pumpkin pie.

Happy...

Good place to find some bulk items, other items you are better off buying at Walmart, Kroger, Target, etc. (thinking about meat & milk). Gas is pretty good here. It's easy to get carried away with impulse purchases here bc $7 for a bunch of pre-dipped mousse is a pretty good deal, but you make 5 or 6 of those and you will go over budget. I try to just stick to 1 impulse buy per trip. If you're buying stuff for a party or gathering, this is a much, much better place to get high quality party stuff than a freakin week-old veggie tray with the worst dip ever from Target. Don't be that guy that brings a trash veggie tray to a gathering. Anyway, there are 3 types of people that work at this location: 1) incredibly kind and helpful (40%), 2) polite and just there to do their job (50%), and 3) hateful people that need to get a life and stop racially profiling people (10%). The last kind is usually at the entry or exit. The entry/exit police are either an older black woman or a young east asian kid with diamond stud earrings. They will make a big show of checking you at the exit or entry like this is 2003 Afghanistan and I might have a bunch of C4 strapped to the bottom of my cart. They will then wave you on after inconveniencing you and the line behind you and if you say 'bye', 'have a nice day', etc, they will roll their eyes or ignore you. Bruh. It cost me some money to shop here and to even have a membership, it costs us exactly $0.00 to be polite or nice to another person. Find that on my receipt, power tripping highlighter jockeys.

Still better...

So I have been coming to this store forever gor my clients and also fir my elderly grandmother who's been a member of this store since forever. She is disabled an so I usually come an fo her shopping for her since she is now disabled to get out like alot of my clients as well. With this being said I went in Costco in Rockwall an they told me I couldn't shop for my clients or grandparents anymore do too there new policy meaning if your picture is not on the back of the card then you can't SHOP. This is crazy because thier or alot of people who are health care workers like myself caring for these elderly an disabled people which could potentially be some of your family members who can't just get our in Shop for groceries and you all are denying them thier membership they been having with you all for years. This just doesn't make any since to me. That's why I stick with Sam's club because they don't care who comes shop at they understand life situation. This is sad an my grandmother said she will not be renewing with this company again and a few of my clients and I don't blame them. I just go to Sam's for them were thier is no discrimination and everyone is treated with tge same respect. Smh It's sad that most of these reviews for this particular store is saying the same thing an everyone can't be just making this up. Costco needs to do better in hiring more respect and professional people to represent thier company because this company...