Las Vegas Business Press :: News : MLK Costco to become business center

MLK Costco to become business center

BY TIM O'REILEY

Say goodbye to central Las Vegas' cheapest buffet -- the free sample stands at the Costco outlet on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.

The store will close on Oct. 5 for conversion into a Costco Business Center, which is scheduled to reopen early next year. Although the familiar sign in large red letters will remain out front, much of the inside will change beyond recognition, company officials say.

Although anyone with a Costco card will be able to shop there, the business center will be targeted toward business clients. Consumer-oriented departments such as optometry, photo processing, the food court, tires, home electronics, clothing, digital video discs, and, yes, the free samples, will disappear. The merchandise shift has already started.

Taking their place will be a counter for copying and computer services, refurbished computers, restaurant supplies such as aprons and heavy utensils and more packaged food. Many items will be sold in even larger package sizes, such as cooking oil in drums, although others including muffins will come individually wrapped for resale by vendors. The middle of the store will be devoted to drinks and candy.

Local store representatives have said the overall selection will increase to about 7,000 items -- shelf keeping units, or SKUs in industry parlance -- compared to just under 4,000 now. However, Costco spokesman Bob Nelson said that the number would remain less than 4,000, but will be supplemented by the online catalog.

The store will also have a small fleet of delivery trucks for business owners that don't have time to visit the location.

"This is somewhat of an add-on business for us, a chance to capture some more market share from out members," Nelson said.

The 100,000-square-foot store, which opened in 1986, will also be altered for reasons not specifically tied to the business center, such as updated lighting fixtures. But Costco has been rolling out the concept slowly; the Las Vegas location will be the fifth since the chain first opened in the Seattle area 11 years ago, apart from a couple that are much smaller than the regular warehouse.

Contact reporter Tim O'Reiley at toreiley@lvbusinesspress.com or 702-387-5290.

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