The Maine Costco grand opening was this past Friday and so of course the HH and I were there bright and early. The line snaked around the side of the store which just added to the excitement.
The store was scheduled to open at 8am and we got there about 7:45. They had just started letting people in so we were only in line for about 5 minutes.
Can you imagine a Costco opening the weekend before Thanksgiving? Holy cats, they were busy!
And it was AWESOME! All the familiar favorites were there! Things like fresh flowers…
And those glorious rotisserie chickens for $4.99.
And the $5.99 Costco pumpkin pies! Those were stacked high and people were grabbing them like they were Cabbage Patch dolls back in the 80’s or something. The HH wanted one but I was like… There’s no way we can eat an entire one of those by ourselves!
And then I saw the black forest cake {has anyone tried it} and wanted to grab one but then the HH just looked at me as if to say … If you buy that cake, I’m going to buy the pie. And so I kept walking.
All those ready made meals!
If you live in suburbia and you are reading this you’re probably like Mavis, what’s the big deal!?
Well I suppose you’d have to live in the boonies to understand it.
Free samples!
Oh how I’ve missed the free samples. I remember when you could go to Costco around lunch time and basically get yourself a free meal from all the samples.
And there were a ton of local products at the main Costco grand opening as well. Things like a Stonewall Kitchen wild blueberry jam.
And Bar Harbor New England clam chowder.
Costco was also selling fresh bread from the When Pigs Fly bakery!
There were stacks of fresh produce!
And the meat section was hopping.
And everything was moving smoothly… Just as it pretty much always does at Costco.
But I think the real highlight of the trip {at least for the HH anyway} was the Costco food court. Ahh yes, the $1.50 hot dog and soda deal.
The HH was VERY happy about that!
By the time we left the line had dissipated and the parking lot was fun and we were ready to head over to the gas pumps to find out how much the gas was going for and to fill our tank.
Gas… For $2.99 a gallon!
HELLO! I don’t know what the gas prices are in your neck of the woods, but the HH was pleasantly surprised at the price.
Me? I was just happy to be back in civilization again and to come home with a reasonably priced jumbo pack of toilet paper. Ha!
As far as groceries went, we only bought 4 food items! {We did load up on a few other things like ribbon, fresh flowers, readers and a few clothing items.} It was a good trip. And we’re already looking forward to going back. I think we’ll wait until after the holidays though. 😉
~Mavis
Total Spent This Past Week on Groceries $34.06
- Total Spent in November on Groceries $201.02
- Total Spent in October on Groceries $83.81
- Total Spent in September on Groceries $109.49
- Total Spent in August for Groceries $13.04
- Total Spent on Groceries for July $376.89
- Total Spent on Groceries in June $41.56
- Total Spent on Groceries in May $288.51
- Total Spent on Groceries in April $35.36
- Total Spent on Groceries in March $82.28
- Total Spent on Groceries in February $101.14
- Total Spent on Groceries in January $167.33 {this includes buying groceries on Fair Isle}
- Total Spent on Groceries in 2023 $1,497.38 for our $100 a month grocery budget for 2
Erin says
We went that first night & the membership line was wrapped around several times & the parking lot was completely full. It was so fun! We were able to breeze right in since we already had a membership. They didn’t have a few of my gluten free Costco staples, but I’m too excited that they’re here now to care too much.
Katelyn says
I only go to Costco at 7:00pm on weeknights. I can’t handle the crowds – too many people really wears on me. Ours is always perfectly well stocked even that late in the evening and I can get in and out in 30 minutes. I’m happy you enjoyed your return to civilization!
Melinda says
You said you don’t have any memberships so is this a new one? You do have a Costco membership….. not judging, I have one too and love Costco! Just curious.
Mavis Butterfield says
To clairify, this is what I had previously said: I {we} don’t have a single monthly, or yearly subscription or PAID membership to a single store or “service”.
We don’t have a paid membership. A friend of ours works for Costco and they get an extra 4 “friends and family” cards to share as part of their job perk. Lucky us! 🙂
Melinda says
That is indeed lucky! Didn’t know that was a thing.
Cindi says
I share your glee. Our nearest Costco is 3 1/2 hours away, so I only get there a few times a year, when I’m passing by. Last month they announced we are getting a Costco — in 2026. I can’t wait!
Nancy says
Boonies here. We are Sams Club member and it is 2 hours away. I understand why you are happy!
Esther says
Those meatballs are absolutely delicious
Mavis Butterfield says
We’re excited to try them!
Annette says
Which meatballs?
Kara says
How do you serve the meatballs? I need an extra dinner idea and those look great!
Mavis Butterfield says
We were going to make a simple pineapple teriyaki sauce to pour over them.
Rosemary says
I live in Florida and gas at our Costco is also 2.99. I live in the “boonies” but Costco, Walmart & Publix are within 15 miles. When I first moved out here (20 years ago), we did not have those stores close by and there was no Costco at all. There was a Publix but then they built a 2nd Publix that is only 10 miles from us. Then we got a Walmart and in the same shopping center, they built a Costco (and a Dollar Tree) 15 miles from us. Talk about being in hog heaven!
Dawn says
I miss Costco. I don’t have one near where I live now.
I guess I’ll just have to live vicariously through your Costco posts.
Ramona says
I was at Costco this past Saturday. I usually don’t go there on a Saturday especially right before Thanksgiving, but it was right off the freeway on my way home from somewhere else. It was so busy and I didn’t get my hot dog and soda because those lines were very long. I’m like HH and like the hot dogs and soda, can’t beat the price.
I did try their pumpkin pies once because I kept hearing how great they were, I was not impressed. I just read an article today that Costco sells 6 million pumpkin pies between Sept. and Thanksgiving.
I always fill up my gas tank while at Costco. Here in Washington gas is $4.09 a gallon. Good price since other gas stations are between $4.40 to almost 4.80.
Peg says
The only reason I have a Sam’s Club membership is because of the supplies our mom needs, now that she’s in assisted living. There is one in our town. When a family friend visits, we usually make a trip to Costco (she has a membership), which is about 50 miles away. The volume of people in both stores about drive me batty, I have to mentally psych myself up to go to Sam’s, and Costco’s crowds are much worse. My husband wanted to buy a membership a couple years ago, but we almost never go to the town it’s in anymore, and we usually have a solid 6 months of winter (remember Wyoming winters, Mavis?), so we wouldn’t get much use out of it. Fine with me!
Mavis Butterfield says
Wymoning winters and Maine winters are about the same… Both long and cold. If it were up to me I’d probably just stay inside all winter. Ha!
Deborah says
Mavis, yes you can eat a whole Costco pumpkin pie! My husband and I can finish one off in less than two days. Trust me you and the HH can do it!
Rosemary says
Yes! My hubby and I can eat it all with no problem. Go for it Mavis!
Jess says
We have always had Sams and BJ’s warehouse near me. They opened a Costco in October. My mom LOVED it when she lived in Fl and joined right away. I went with her and did find a few household item deals. Husband had been researching new portable generators and they had the best deal so we bought one of those…Some different snacks that the other stores do not have are good.. But I was So Very unimpressed by the TP! Sams TP will stay the winner for me. Costco was too rough!
vicki says
We are in Missouri. Gas at Costco is running around 2.63 a gallon. The lines can get fairly long.
Glenda Rainbolt says
We got gas for $1.43 the other day at Kroger with Kroger points.
Mrs. Hillbilly says
Gas here at The GH Costco is 4.05 for regular !!!! Yikes that’s Gov. Ensley’s gas tax for ya !!
Cheryl says
Got gas at Costco for $3.19 on Friday which is a great price. It is higher at Sam’s club in the opposite direction. I thought you can freeze pumpkin pies? Eat half now and half next month.
Torry says
Pumpkin pie is sharable, too. Maybe with a lovely neighbor? Disclaimer: I am not a neighbor of Mavis.
Linda says
The only time I have been in Costco was when I went to NYC and went with my daughter. It was two stories. We went up an escalator while the cart was shoved on its own huge escalator by two employees. We have Sam’s, so have never joined Costco.
Practical Parsimony
Lisa Millar says
Wow… its massive!
Its like the size of our town !!!
haha… there’s the difference between us… My husband and I would have walked out with both pie AND cake and figured out the eating/storing logistics later (or ended up with REALLY happy chickens!!!)
It was too depressing to do the math, but petrol here is AUD$2.09/litre.
That hotdog and drink combo was a bargain!
Enjoy xx
Pat says
We have a Sam’s Club about 45 minutes away. Yes we are in the boonies. However, when our kids come to visit, they refer to our basement as Costco.