Costco opens new location to much fanfare

The sun set on the Costco on Stavanger Drive on Wednesday, androse on the retail giant's new store in Galwayon Thursday morning.

The company opened the doorsof its brand new centre in the west endof St. John's this morning shortly before 7:30.

In the first 15 minutes, more than 500 people walked through thedoors.

A few dozen shoppers hadlined up before 7 a.m., but the crowd had expanded to hundreds by the time the ribbon on the doors wascut half an hour later.

St. John's Mayor Danny Breen, along with othermunicipal and provincial politicians and former premier Danny Williams, the man behind the Galway development wereon hand for the opening ceremonies of the store on Danny Drive.

"I'm feeling fabulous. Another beautiful, sunny, Newfoundland and Labrador morning," Williams said.

In anticipation of the crowd, Costco paid the bill for an increased Royal Newfoundland Constabulary presence in the areato help conducttraffic.

There were some concerns about people unfamiliar with the area navigating the roundabouts into the area, but Williams said no one hadhad a problem figuring them out yet.

"The interesting thing about the east-end people, they're really concerned about going through roundabouts and everything else. But roundabouts are a piece of cake, once they get used to them," he said.

Williams said the Costco opening is "a big milestone" for his Galway development, and is the start of the neighbourhood's retail sector.

"This is the catalyst, this is what's really going to launch it," Williams said, adding he expects there will be 13 new businesses open in Galway by the end of the year.

The company says the Galway store isthe largest Costco wholesaler store in the country, at182,000 square feet and 500 employees.

The new store has 1,000 parking spots 300 more than the previous location.

The gas bar has been openthere for a few days.

The Costco in the Stavanger Drive area of St. John's closed at 5 p.m. Wednesday, with crews taking down Costcosignage just minutes later.

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