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James "Kimo" Rosen is a retired professional photographer
and amongst other things lived in a tent outdoors for 7 years. Rosen currently resides on the tropical island of Kaua'i with his best friend and spiritual adviser Ivanka Da Dog!
Check out my new Costco hat!
Editors note;
Many Costco employees ask how I got a Costco hat?
I lucked out. One day I asked a manager
how I could get a hat, he said see me when you check
out today. The rest is history. Many employees are jealous
because they ran out of hats and they don't even have hats
as of this writing! ;-)
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Another editors note,
I am trying to write about something besides politics,
like the good ole days of dakinetalk. The problem is, every time I do, I do not get as many views as when I write about Donald Trump? Let's see what happens? I only put Trumps name in the sentence so this blog will now show up in a Google search with Trump! Sneaky me! ;-)
I'm a Costco Junkie
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| Eric Briksa enjoying a hot-dog and drink back in 2006, the first year Costco Kaua'i opened. The price remains the same, $1.50 |
Every Monday for the last 10 year since since Costco has opened on The Garden Isle I have gone to Costco as long as they were open or I wasn't sick.
I used to drive it, it was the only place I drove my car. It's funny-- when I eventually sold my car one of the selling points was this old 61 year old guy only drives it to Costco on Mondays. Like the old used car sales pitch of the old lady only drove it to church on Sunday.
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| My old car, the only place I ever drove it to was Costco |
Fast forward to the latter days. I now take the Kaua'i Para transit public bus every Monday.
It picks me up at home and drops me off right in front of the front doors of Costco, then picks me up 3 hours later. I eat lunch, talk story with people and shop. It's my Monday ritual.
I start out at the out door cafe where Ivanka and myself eat lunch with the traditional and famous $1.50 hot-dog and drink. The price hasn't changed in over 20 years. Costco sells them at a loss as a customer service to members. If you price the hot dogs, buns condiments, paper products, the price of the drink and paper cup, it far exceeds $1.50.
They know me at the outdoor cafe, I always order my bun cold, not steamed and ask them to please shake the hot-dog before placing it in the bun, so no excess water gets in the bun and sogs the bun and dog. Most of the dogs are pre-made and are sitting 5-15 minutes and unless you ask them to make your dog special, your buns will be soggy. Don't know why Costco wastes their money steaming the buns, makes them soggy.
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| Serge, Sila, Ivanka and Kimo enjoy some fellowship and grindz at Costco! |
I work my way to the rear of the store and the rotisserie chicken station, only $4.99 for chickens the size of small turkeys. Costco sells these at a loss and always has the chickens at the rear of the store. It's an advertising ploy. Instead of advertising on TV or in Magazines, they absorb the loss on chickens and it gets everyone to walk to the rear of the store while passing tons of merchandise, brilliant marketing.
The folks handing out samples all know me on a first name basis and do not mind if I take seconds or thirds. Many times I have purchased what they are sampling. Shrimp Tempura, Fish sticks,Prime rib, chili, hummus, Smoked salmon, etc. For some reason the samples always taste better at Costco? I tease them and ask them if they add some sort of addicting drug or chemical to the store samples since they never taste as good at home? They all give me a courtesy laugh in hopes I buy what they're sampling since they make additional commission on every item they are sampling.
Last week I decided to buy a sound bar after researching the Yamaha 1050 sound-bar I had seen the previous week. The sound on my TV sounded like it was coming out of 2 tin cans.
The sound-bar was on sale for $119.97. Great deal!
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| Best deal I ever purchase at Costco! Did I mention, I Love Costco! |
I got home checked it on on Amazon and it was selling for $139.00 and those were reconditioned ones!
(link enclosed below) Amazon had great reviews with the clear sound feature, built in woofers, wireless blue tooth, etc. I was just hoping Costco would still have them in stock on my next Monday's sojourn.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01GG16DTS/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_3?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER
Something all my fellow Costco junkies need to know that a manager there once told me; when something ends with .97, 1.97, 9.97, 21.97, 119.97, it means Costco is discounting it. Most their prices end in .99. When something ends in.97 grab it!
I go to Costco and they still have the sound-bar to my delight. I purchase it. I get home and I wasn't looking forward to connecting it because I am not a techie, however one wire from the TV to the sound bar, a small audio cable , that's it. Then it says it can play music from Pandora on my iPhone to the sound bar! OK where's the wire for that? No wire? I read the directions. Click on Blue tooth on your smart phone and it wirelessly reads your Blue tooth model, then you just click blue tooth on the remote, go to Pandora or iTunes and you have the most amazing stereo! Unreal. Best deal ever. These sound-bars retail for $260.00-300.00 brand new.
Sorry folks, story not over. I go back to Costco the following week and as I am walking through the electronic section I see the sound-bar is now selling for $80.00, a manager once told me when merchandise sold at Costco ends in .00, double zero, buy it. It's a bargain-- one time only closeout. However I missed out because I paid a higher discounted price the previous week. I got a great deal the previous week but still wish I had waited one additional week.
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| My personal pet peeve finally solved! After eight years of asking for roped off lines at the food court, Costco does one better! They paint yellow lines on the concrete floor so you no longer have to wait in separate lines, but proceed to the next available order taker! Mahalo to the Costco Gods! |
I proceed to the membership and they say If I can produce my receipt they would refund my balance. I don't have my receipt. They say if they still have the item in stock next week when I return with a receipt on my weekly sojourn they could refund my balance. I knew it would be too late. So, after I finish shopping I flag down one of the managers I know and ask her I can get a cash return balance on the sound-bar without my receipt? Can't you look it up on the computer by using my Costco card? She grabs my card and proceeds to look things up. She says "Kimo, you sure it's on closeout, my computer still says $119.97," I say pretty sure? She then gets on the store intercom system and calls to the electronics department for a price check, and sure enough my sound-bar was on closeout for $80.00. She said "Kimo, your right! I just smirked! She proceeded to give me $41.60 back, as I continued smirking so more! ;-)
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| That's my sound-bar set up on the left. My recliner is directly in front, perfect position! My Roku is on the bottom left of the TV in case your interested. This was the TV that was broke and brought back from the dead. Now it's got awesome surround sound and the once dead smart TV is smart again with ROKU! |
How many stores would do what Costco did? If I went to the grocery store and bought a jar of peanut butter for $5.97 and the next week it was on sale for $2.00 would the grocery store give me $3.97 back? I don't think so. This is one of the many reasons I love Costco and admit to being a Costco junkie.
For those who still drive the savings on the gas alone will pay for your yearly membership before ever stepping foot in the store.
Costco is like a cult. Wherever I live there must be a Costco!
The beauty of Costco in Hawaii, most prices are the same as mainland prices whereas everywhere else on the islands prices are 50% and sometimes higher than mainland prices. Costco prices are cheap to begin with, living on a rock in the middle of the Pacific makes Costco the ultimate bargain!
If you are like me and consider yourselves a Costco junkie;
The beauty of Costco in Hawaii, most prices are the same as mainland prices whereas everywhere else on the islands prices are 50% and sometimes higher than mainland prices. Costco prices are cheap to begin with, living on a rock in the middle of the Pacific makes Costco the ultimate bargain!
If you are like me and consider yourselves a Costco junkie;
Repeat after me, My name is, _____________ and I'm a Costco junkie!
Hail to Costco!
Epilogue;
As President Trump might say, (To be said with a NY Trump accent) Costco prices are terrific, merchandise sells for a fraction of the price of anywhere else. There are deals for everybody, everyone with a membership will be winning and I mean winning like you've never seen.There will be so much winning that heads will spin. Heads will spin so far that you wont know how great a deal you really got until you get home. Believe me Costco will give you everything I mean everything.
P.S.
Check further dakinetalk reading on Costco;
1-A letter to the Costco Connection Magazine (This was resolved with painted lines, photo above)
2-Murder at Costco- submitted by my dear friend the late Debbie Eayrs
http://dakinetalk.blogspot.com/2013/05/murder-at-costco-debbie-eayrs-source.html
3-Costco farm and Gardens
http://dakinetalk.blogspot.com/2013/02/costco-farm-and-gardens-james-kimo-rosen.html
4-My last trip to Costco..." Obama da Dog (Source)
http://dakinetalk.blogspot.com/2012/08/my-last-trip-to-costco-obama-da-dog.html
5-Gourmet meals for less than $5.00
http://dakinetalk.blogspot.com/2012/06/gourmet-meals-for-less-than-500-obama.html
6-The news not reported in the paper..."Costco Fire..."
http://dakinetalk.blogspot.com/2011/02/news-not-reported-in-papercostco-fire.html
7-At Costco, eat like a king on a budget
http://dakinetalk.blogspot.com/2010/01/at-costco-eat-like-king-on-budget.html
8-Happy dumpster diving my friends
(The one thing I miss about driving is still finding all these treasures, oh well!)
http://dakinetalk.blogspot.com/2012/07/happy-dumpster-diving-my-friends-james.html
3-Costco farm and Gardens
http://dakinetalk.blogspot.com/2013/02/costco-farm-and-gardens-james-kimo-rosen.html
4-My last trip to Costco..." Obama da Dog (Source)
http://dakinetalk.blogspot.com/2012/08/my-last-trip-to-costco-obama-da-dog.html
5-Gourmet meals for less than $5.00
http://dakinetalk.blogspot.com/2012/06/gourmet-meals-for-less-than-500-obama.html
6-The news not reported in the paper..."Costco Fire..."
http://dakinetalk.blogspot.com/2011/02/news-not-reported-in-papercostco-fire.html
7-At Costco, eat like a king on a budget
http://dakinetalk.blogspot.com/2010/01/at-costco-eat-like-king-on-budget.html
8-Happy dumpster diving my friends
(The one thing I miss about driving is still finding all these treasures, oh well!)
http://dakinetalk.blogspot.com/2012/07/happy-dumpster-diving-my-friends-james.html
Hana Hou, Encore!
36 comments:
I go to Costco several times per week...alone or accompanied...
I always think the costco samples taste better there too!
Always one of my first stops when we get stateside! I do wish that they would go back to Coca-Cola products instead of Pepsi for the fountain drinks.
I updated the blog and added at the end the following sentence; For those who still drive the savings on the gas alone will pay for your yearly membership before ever stepping foot in the store.
Excellent story about your being a Costco freak , really enjoyed it. My wife does all he shopping and goes there all the time. I LOVE the macaroni and cheese from there and if you haven't tried it be sure and do so---really delicious.
For a long time I and others have been trying to convince our Council and Administration to get a contract with the taxi company or the Uber people and have them pick people up like you with a fuel efficient vehicle (like a Prius) for probably 1/5 or less the cost of the big paratransit that they now use.
The bus system is costing us over $8 million dollars a year to subsidize it whereas by streamlining it with a taxi contract we could save a lot of money. A lady from the big island once testified at a council meeting that she was a taxi driver on the big island where this was successfully done but, as usual, her testimony and those of people like me fell on deaf ears. Too much politics and old boy system at stake so the status quo will just continue until the people say they don't want any more and get new blood in power to change things.
Keep up your fine work.
Your pal,
Glenn
I understand what your saying about para transit, however you must too understand that they work 8 hour shifts, one bus load may have 2 people and the next bus load will have 7-8 people, etc. If every bus load was i or 2 people, it would be different.
The Bus is a great service. I recommend you leave your car at home and apply for the service. Have them take you to weekly council meetings. and pick you up. No stress, no worries about tickets, you can make notes, read while on your way to the meeting. If people tailgate you, you won't even notice it. No stress, stress free. You will feel better and not be as crotchety! 😉 I say this from experience. I used to be a wreck when I drove. All the crappy drivers tailgating and passing on double yellows drove me crazy. Try the Para transit, you'll love it!
Don't have a Costco around here' never been in one
Sorry to hear that? Costco is like a cult. Wherever I live there must be a Costco! ;-)
Off topic here; have you ever watched You Tube where thousands of women and some men post videos daily of their shopping hauls? Never seen a Costco haul though; mostly Dollar Tree, Tues Morning, Big Lots, Hobby Lobby and JoAnns. Sometimes Target too. An addiction like I have never seen!
Feel free to post one here! No I haven't seen one.
The Kapolei one doesn't have an outdoor food stand. So you have to be a member for that. As a single, i don't buy much in quanity, but it's fun to go there every once in awhile as a guest of a member & get all the free samples.
On Kauai they let anyone, member or non member purchase at the food court. As a member I don't like it because the lines are YUGE! However for non members it's Great and another reason Costco is great is they are community minded and know the community is using their service free. Hail to Costco
Ahh a Costco haul for Jim.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sh55MnCNErk
Had to fast forward it, I get the drift. I am different. I go on the bus and as a single guy only get 2-3 items. I go for the savings but more for the outing!
lol I will post one person who pretty much shops every day sometimes more than once and at more than one store...brb.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8xsoZbZYR7g
Kimo:
Like 99% of those who own a vehicle I will never abandon it for any type of bus unless I am incapable of driving. The convenience of coming and going where I please and when I please will always top any other means of travel.
Regardless of how many people are on that bus ( and seldom have I see over one from my area) there is no denying that a taxi or taxis could do the job easier and cheaper than the big bus---it has been proven on the big island.
To have to prearrange the bus picking me up and the waiting time for it if my journey ends faster than I anticipate is not my style---my time means more to me than all that taken up for the hectics for a bus.
If it suits you, Kimo then stay with it but I hope you see that the $8 million we tax payers are putting out for that bus has a lot of waste and other more efficient means are available.
Your pal,
glenn
Glenn,
Don't know why you always quote that 99% figure of those who own vehicles will never abandon them. Don't know where you get that stat from? I totally disagree . You and I live in totally different worlds. I know many people who have gotten rid of their vehicles for one reason or another . Health, age, fitness, financial. The reasons are many.
I could tell you many stories but your mind is set. You should try and be more open to try new things.
Your pal,
Kimo
But is your food court indoors or outdoors? That seems to be the deciding factor in whether they allow non-members to eat there.
Outdoors--and the reason they can't control non member eating there. Plus they never enter the store when it's outdoors... Did you read the blog?
Also, non-members can use the RX service.
Didn't know that, and to boot I just fact checked and it said they would deliver too?Can you use Costco pharmacy without membership?
The pharmacy at Costco is available to members and non-members alike. Just bring the prescription from your doctor, tell the greeter/card checker that you're using the pharmacy and they'll let you in. You can even get your prescriptions filled online and have them delivered to your home at NO extra cost.
Kimo:
Even the projections of the administration for 2035 show that 86% of the driving public will still be using their vehicles--not bikes, buses walking or shuttles.
The point I am making is that the mass of the people are driving their vehicles and will continue to drive them no matter what you want to infer about the percentages.
Yes, we do live in different worlds but by looking at the traffic on our roads I hope you can see that my figures are a lot more accurate than the FEW people who you know that have "gotten rid of their vehicles for one reason or another".
Well, Kimo we will just have to agree to disagree on this issue. In all my views I have tried to factor in the positives and negatives for the majority and have never forgotten that their are minorities that also need addressing. But to go overboard for the minorities and not making the masses the main objective is, for me very wrong.
Your pal,
Glenn
Glenn,
Your beginning to sound more like a Republican then a Progressive Obama democrat? And I am sounding remote like a Libatard. Maybe you need to be the Trumpster guy and I need to be the Hillary guy? Just kidding of course. 😉
Go figure?
Your pal,
Rabbi Kimo
OK, I just reread it & see you did mention it was outdoors.
You are an excellent student and get an A plus!
Kimo:
Associate me with any conservative but NEVER with that psychopathic liar Trump--that would be the lowest blow you could give me!!!!!
Your pal and pal of Unc,
Glenn
No Costco here brotha...just BJ's
No comparison, I went to BJ's with my sister last year when I visited back in your neck of the woods. Similar but like comparing hamburger to filet mignon! Costco is next to God! Hail to Costco!
Lol...well get the store To build one here! Use yer writing skills
I'm surprised they haven't gone there. There even in many foreign countries. They were in Japan when I taught English there. ;-)
We have a Costco over here in Rochester. Is there a difference between the two?
Awesome, just checked them out on Yelp!
Jacob Isaac worth the ride to Rochester, you can buy Jason Gross lunch! Treat him to a $1.50 1/4 plus dog and a refillable drink for $1.50! ;-)
The beauty of Costco in Hawaii, The prices are the same as mainland prices whereas everywhere else on the islands prices are 50% and sometimes higher than mainland prices...
As President Trump might say, (To be said with a NY Trump accent) Costco prices are terrific, merchandise sells for a fraction of the price of anywhere else. There are deals for everybody, everyone with a membership will be winning and I mean winning like you've never seen.There will be so much winning that heads will spin. Heads will spin so far that you wont know how great a deal you really got until you get home. Believe me Costco will give you everything I mean everything.
I met my boyfriend at Costco. It's where I get everything. He was at the return desk so I scooped him up.
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