Inside Albany’s New Costco Before Opening Day

It's been a long ride, but on Thursday, August 6th, Albany is finally getting its very first Costco.

I had the privilege of getting an early tour of the warehouse, as well as getting to interview the location's manager and general manager. Let's step inside.

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In the Warehouse

The first thing you notice about the Albany Warehouse is its size. The warehouse is 163,000 square feet, and includes grocery, home living, pharmacy, bakery, butcher, tires and more.

During the tour, I got to hear from Manager Brian Heiss and General Manager Tony Dotson about what makes Costco stand out. It's not just a place for members to shop, they're aiming to become a major member of the Albany community.

Becoming Part of the Community

Like I said, this opening has been a long time coming, and Albany can feel it. As of speaking with Brian and Tony, the warehouse had around 14,000 new member signups, with that number expected to hit 15,000 by opening day on August 6th.

The Meat and bakery section of the Albany Costco

It's not just about the members, though. In part of becoming a piece of the capital region community, Costco is giving back. Every month they plan on donating around 3,000 pounds of food to a local food bank, as well as 500 backpacks and school supplies to children in need.

A sign on the Albany Costco that reads

Costco is currently accepting new memberships for the Albany location. You can sign up at their popup at Crossgates Mall for either a Gold Star Membership ($65/year) or an Executive Membership ($130/year). The store will officially open on Thursday, August 6th with a ribbon cutting at 7:30 a.m.