Costco, Sam’s Club, BJ’s Wholesale Club

Rumors galore, but don’t get your hopes up. It’s all about rooftops, demographics, and the economy.

Palm Coast, FL – September 15, 2011 – Palm Coast residents want a Costco, or a Sam’s Club, or a BJ’s Wholesale Club. The nearest Sam’s Club is in Daytona Beach. Costco’s nearest store is in Jacksonville. Residents’ strong demand is measured by the frequency and strength of rumors about one of the big box wholesale stores coming to Flagler County. Such rumors are as persistent as local politician’s promises to do something about economic development.
Here’s the essence of the latest rumor:
  • Costco is coming to town. The city has already approved the project to be built on the northeast corner of Seminole Woods Pkwy and US 1.
Like all really good rumors, this one contains a kernel of truth. Gus Simos (Palm Coast Seminole Group LLC), the owner of the 85-acre parcel has been trying to market the property to Costco and others for quite some time. There was an underlying problem however. Theparcel’s multi-family zoning did not match up to the intended retail use; thus the recent zoning change.
The parcel is now properly zoned for either a shopping center or a "big box" retailer. In exchange for rezoning, the city will look to the developer of the parcel to complete a second road into Integra Woods, the 310-unit apartment complex abutting the east border of the parcel. The city would also like to see a third access to Integra Woods from US 1.
The City Council approved the change from High Intensity Commercial (Com-3) and Multi-Family Residential (MFR-2) in part to Master Planned Development District (MPD) at its August 16th meeting. The newly designated MPD will be called Seminole Pointe. Location Map
Representatives of both Costco and Sam’s Club have looked at the Seminole Woods Pkwy location as well as other locations in Flagler County. The success of Bruce Rossmeyer’s Harley Davidson-anchored complex at the US 1 @ Interstate 95 interchange has been an economic magnet, enhancing the potential for development northward along US 1, especially south of Bunnell.
However good Flagler County site may be, nothing will move forward until the population, demographics, and economy are in alignment with the retailer’s goals. Right now, that’s not happening. Flagler has too many unemployed residents and too few new rooftops under construction. This is the same reasoning behind the delay in the start of construction of Walmart’s new Supercenter on Old Kings Rd.
Here is what GoToby.com has heard:
The "old" Walmart will remain a Walmart. The building’s ceiling is too low for the forklift-stocked Sam’s Clubs.
Sam’s Club has also looked at the parcel next the location of the new Walmart on Old Kings Road. (The Daytona Beach Sam’s Club is located adjacent to a Walmart store.)
Both Sam’s Club and Costco have toured multiple potential Flagler County sites. Both have expressed an interest in a future location in the county. They are simply waiting for a better economy and more rooftops.
A local effort is working to build grass roots support to encourage Costco to accelerate their decision. Facebook fan page, Causefor Costco already has over 300 "friends."

Rumor: (noun) a current story or statement without confirmation or certainty as to facts
Which store would you want to see first? Note: I added the last option after 44 votes had already been cast. Take the following poll:

24 replies
  1. Melvina Rushnock
    Melvina Rushnock says:

    Poverty should encourage Big Box

    You mention that the reason one of the big 3 haven’t built a new store in or near Palm Coast is the economy. If we are all looking for ways to cut cost, one of the first thoughts is to shop wholesale – not pretty – thus the Costco, BJ’s or Sam’s!

  2. David J. Widom
    David J. Widom says:

    New Costco

    My wife and I frequent the Costco in S.E. Jacksonville, about every two months. On medical items costco’s prices cannot be matched. Contact lens, eyeglasses, and prescriptions, are much cheaper at Costco. It would also be great, if Costco could put in a gas station.
    Unfortunately, we have many abandoned dwellings in Flagler, and no new roof tops. In my area, in Palm Coast, the Lake Success area, which borders the closed Matanzas woods golf course, my house was the last one completed in May of 2008. There have been no new housing starts, and three were just walked away from. You have to love the interest only mortgage.

  3. Susan Romanello
    Susan Romanello says:

    Costco, Sams or BJ

    I really would love to see one of these come to town, but I truly believe it would put a hurt on all the smaller stores we have here now. I think all these big box stores should be situated on US1 in a commercial district because it will bring lots of traffic and congestion to the area…….again.

  4. janet
    janet says:

    kitty

    I understand that companies wait for the population/housing to be a certain figure(just like Publix pulling from Matanzas Woods/US1 because the population wouldn’t support a new store(which would’ve been nice to have close by), but the unemployment rate would sure be helped by a retailer such as: Costco or BJ’s. For those of us in Matanzas Woods, a gas station added to that would be nice too.

  5. Claire Nichols
    Claire Nichols says:

    Please bring us Costco!

    We moved here from Prescott, AZ and miss having a Costco so very much. We shopped there all the time. I just got one of my prescriptions in Walmart and it cost almost 3 times the price I pay at Costco. I guess we’ll have to go to Jacksonville once a month for the meds. Oh, how I wish we had a Costco here!! We renewed our Costco American Express card with the hopes that soon there will be one here.

  6. Alexandra Levitskaya
    Alexandra Levitskaya says:

    infrastructures are first

    I live in Boca Raton, Fl. I left NY for Boca because there is Costco & Sam’s Club & other important Department stores which make life pleasurable. However, I would like to buy a property in Palm Coast.What stops me from making this decision that there is no proper infrastructures developed. While the developer waits for people to come & grow, people are waiting for a proper development first.

  7. Toby
    Toby says:

    Reply to Melvina

    Good point, but the wholesale warehouse stores customers are primarily businesses. That is their target market. Of course, businesses are trying to stretch their dollars too.

  8. Frank
    Frank says:

    Help us!

    We have been living in Palm Coast, way before it ever became a City.
    Before Walmart,Publix,Town Center in fact before any other large
    store was ever built here. The only Hospital was in Bunnell no Palm Coast Parway crossing I-95 Belle Terre was one lane road, no schools. My point is that Walamart was built in Palm Coast & we live in Seminole woods three miles from rt 100, it’s always crowded & 20 miles round trip for us. We have now Target on rt 100 but comparing the price of gas & high prices @ Target, it’s better Target, so we now go to Target. But still a wholesale store would bring people from Flagler Beach, Bunnell,Halifax Plantaion, all in between & even North Ormond Beach. As far a customers, yes there are plenty of US!!

  9. Ariana Molna
    Ariana Molna says:

    amazed one of these big box stores not here yet??

    Having lived up North for many years – amazed these stores
    have not made it in the mix yet here. Yes we drove some extra
    miles to get to any one of them – but always found it worth
    our while. Lord knows the population
    here is quite dense. Considering the traffic leading up
    to Walmart etc. – you’d think that any of those stores would not
    hurt for customers. It would be a very nice option
    in the mix to shop those systems and not having to drive
    to Jacksonville, Ormond or Daytona to get there. I like
    Palm Coast – but for the size am always amazed we don’t
    have more shopping options than currently available. 1/13/2015

  10. Rachael Nieves
    Rachael Nieves says:

    more jobs to palm cost resident

    hi ,if their was a costco store in palm coast Florida there would be more jobs to the resident and they would not be going out of there way to travel so far out of palm coast just to try to make a living,and not only that put some of the resident of palm coast are senior citizen that can not travel that far, and this store would be great for their needs. its coming to a point that some of them cant drive so far that they have to depend on the city bus of palm coast, this alone would bring money to costco and to the hard working people here in palm coast and the young people that have move here building there home and with a growing family,

  11. Ron Limuti
    Ron Limuti says:

    Costco & Palm Coast

    We recently moved to Palm Coast from North Carolina and are a little spoiled having had BJ’s, Sam’s Club, and Costco near bye. It will be a year now in February that we moved here, already things are beginning to build up. We are in Grand Landings and two builders are now underway building Phase 2, Phase 3, future Phase 4 & Phase 5. Plan is for over 700 more homes in this area off Seminole Woods Pkwy as part of these phases.
    I would think this indication of building starting to now move, would give justification to Costco or any of the other club stores to invest. Presently we are driving to Daytona Beach for many things, it would be nice to have these stores in our neighborhood along with more higher scaled restaurants. We’ll keep our fingers crossed.

  12. connie colon
    connie colon says:

    Costco in Orange city,fl ?

    Hi, I have heard a rumor that we are getting a Costco of Saxon blvd, in Orange city Florida. I will be happy and so will others we need a Costo not a Sam’s club. There is one off Beville rd in Daytona beach area. We have 4 surroundling cities who would like to have you store and products at a door step away. the area is a great area off I-4 highway. there is a K-mart that existed in Saxon Blvd which I believe would be a great place to remodel and make it Costco. Please let me know if its true………………thanks a Customer who is disabled and would love to have one near home. I don’t drive anymore and I don’t take trips to Orlando

  13. Georgina Peyer
    Georgina Peyer says:

    Costco

    Would love to have a Costco and BJs near by.
    Would love not to have to go north to Jacksonville or BJs to shop. They are both far
    from where we live.

    Robert & Georgina

  14. Chris
    Chris says:

    Any big box retailer will make us happy

    I know this article was published to the public many years ago but it seems like other residents would like to see any of the stores come to the city. I know others wouldn’t mind, but I do know that BJ’s wholesale is known for having very good benefits. That’s what I’ve read in many different career related articles. The city is expecting an Aldi food market sometime later in this year. If this ever does exist and the city does follow thru, I will be one of the 100 first in line to apply. Been working at Publix for many years and ready to find another successful retailer to work for. One that offers good benefits for both part time and full time employees.

  15. Janie
    Janie says:

    Costco Please!

    We moved to Palm Coast from Georgia in 2014. In that time I have seen the need for a Costco. I refuse to shop either Wal-Mart or Sam’s club because of their corporate practices and there’s a BJ’s near Daytona. The nearest Costco to us is in Altamonte Springs. We go there rather than Jacksonville because it’s a larger store, offers more products and has a gas station. Hubby is a blind disabled veteran and I am also disabled, but still able to drive. The trip there and back coupled with doing all of the shopping while he sits and waits, then all of the bringing in our purchases usually puts me in bed the next day with great pain. A local Costco, or even one near the new Tanger Outlets in Daytona would be much more convenient as well as be another employer. If Orlando can gave 4 Costcos, why can’t the central East coast have one?

  16. sheryl
    sheryl says:

    COSTO – Please come to Daytona Beach

    So many people in Daytona Beach, Ormond Beach, Port Orange and New Smyrna are begging for a Costco location near us. Its awful to have to drive one hour each way to Altamone Springs just to get to our nearest Costco. We have sam’s club and BJ’s which I do not like, but I am about to cave in and start shopping there because I am so sick of driving 2 hour round trip because Costco will not open a location on the East side of central Florida!

  17. Eric J. Lore
    Eric J. Lore says:

    Spoiled

    We are splitting our time between New Rochelle, N.Y. and our new home in Palm Coast, which will be our permanent address soon. We are spoiled by having Costco in New Rochelle and miss it in Palm Coast. We even by our gasoline there. I hope Costco considers moving closer than the one in Jacksonville. Maybe the big development at Margaritaville-Daytona will change the demographics.

  18. Billy Mullins
    Billy Mullins says:

    Big box store Sams club or Costco

    Palm coast will not allow a big box store hear like Sams club or Costco the biggest mistake i ever made was moving to Palm coast Florida Americas largest nursing home what a joke this place is

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