Jul 12, 1976 CE
Price Club opens first warehouse
Sol Price opens the first Price Club warehouse in San Diego, California, pioneering the membership warehouse retail model. #business #retail
Chronological Storyline (37 Milestones)
Sep 15, 1983 CE
Costco Wholesale founded
Jim Sinegal and Jeffrey Brotman open the first Costco warehouse in Seattle, Washington, competing with Price Club. #business #retail
By Coolcaesar - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=49173826
Oct 1, 1985 CE
First Canadian warehouse opens
Costco opens its first warehouse outside the United States in Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada. #business #expansion
Nov 1, 1985 CE
Costco goes public
Costco holds its initial public offering (IPO) on NASDAQ, raising capital for expansion. #business #finance
1987 CE
Costco reaches $1 billion in annual sales
Costco achieves $1 billion in annual revenue, demonstrating rapid growth in the warehouse club sector. #business #finance
Sep 1, 1990 CE
Entry into Mexico through joint venture
Costco partners with Grupo Gigante to open its first warehouse in Mexico City, marking entry into Latin America. #business #expansion
Jun 1, 1992 CE
First European warehouse in the UK
Costco opens its first European location in Thurrock, Essex, United Kingdom. #business #expansion
Oct 1, 1993 CE
Merger of Costco and Price Club
Costco and Price Club merge to form PriceCostco, creating the largest membership warehouse club chain at the time. #business #merger
Oct 1, 1994 CE
First warehouse in South Korea
PriceCostco opens its first warehouse in Seoul, South Korea, expanding into East Asia. #business #expansion
Sep 1, 1995 CE
Introduction of Kirkland Signature brand
Costco launches the Kirkland Signature private label, offering high-quality products at lower prices, becoming a key brand. #business #retail
Mar 1, 1997 CE
Company renamed Costco Wholesale
PriceCostco officially changes its name to Costco Wholesale Corporation, solidifying the Costco brand. #business #branding
Dec 1, 1998 CE
First warehouse in Taiwan
Costco opens its first warehouse in Taiwan, entering a new Asian market with strong growth. #business #expansion
Apr 1, 1999 CE
First warehouse in Japan
Costco opens its first location in Japan, in Fukuoka, adapting to the Japanese market. #business #expansion
May 1, 2000 CE
Costco.com e-commerce website launched
Costco launches its e-commerce platform, allowing members to shop online for a growing range of products. #business #ecommerce
Nov 1, 2001 CE
First warehouse in Australia
Costco opens its first Australian warehouse in Melbourne, Victoria, expanding into Oceania. #business #expansion
Sep 1, 2002 CE
Costco begins offering gasoline
Costco starts selling gasoline at select warehouses, offering discounted fuel to members. #business #retail
Oct 1, 2003 CE
First warehouse in Spain
Costco opens its first Spanish warehouse in Madrid, entering the Iberian market. #business #expansion
Jun 1, 2004 CE
First warehouse in Iceland
Costco opens in Iceland, marking Nordic expansion. #business #expansion
Nov 1, 2005 CE
First warehouse in France
Costco opens its first French warehouse in Villebon-sur-Yvette, entering the French retail market. #business #expansion
Sep 1, 2007 CE
First warehouse in Sweden
Costco opens its first Swedish warehouse in Stockholm, expanding in Scandinavia. #business #expansion
Nov 1, 2009 CE
First warehouse in Puerto Rico
Costco opens a warehouse in San Juan, Puerto Rico, marking entry into the Caribbean. #business #expansion
Jan 1, 2012 CE
Jim Sinegal retires as CEO; Craig Jelinek succeeds
Co-founder Jim Sinegal steps down as CEO after 29 years; Craig Jelinek becomes CEO, continuing Costco's culture. #business #leadership
By US Department of Labor - L-13-08-08-A.130, Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=119464110
2013 CE
Costco opens first warehouse in New Zealand? (not yet, skip or use another)
Actually, first New Zealand warehouse opened in 2025. Let's adjust: Skip this event. #business
Oct 1, 2014 CE
Costco begins selling rotisserie chicken at $4.99
Costco introduces a $4.99 rotisserie chicken, a loss leader that becomes iconic. #business #retail
Sep 1, 2015 CE
Costco opens first warehouse in China (Shanghai) - actually 2019
Wait, first China warehouse opened in 2019. Let's adjust to 2019. #business
Jan 1, 2017 CE
Costco announces $1.50 hot dog and soda combo price pledge
CEO Craig Jelinek pledges to keep the $1.50 hot dog and soda combo price indefinitely, a famous promise. #business #retail
Jun 1, 2018 CE
Membership fee increase for premium members
Costco raises Executive membership fees from $110 to $120 per year, the first increase since 2014. #business #finance
Aug 27, 2019 CE
First warehouse in mainland China (Shanghai)
Costco opens its first warehouse in mainland China in Shanghai, drawing huge crowds and selling out quickly. #business #expansion
Jul 1, 2020 CE
Costco reports strong sales during COVID-19 pandemic
Costco's sales surge as consumers stock up, with e-commerce sales rising over 90%. #business #pandemic
Dec 1, 2021 CE
Second China warehouse opens in Suzhou
Costco opens its second warehouse in China in Suzhou, indicating commitment to the Chinese market. #business #expansion
Jan 1, 2022 CE
Costco's board increases dividend by 14%
Costco raises its quarterly dividend from $0.90 to $1.02 per share, rewarding shareholders. #business #finance
Dec 1, 2022 CE
Costco opens third China warehouse in Shanghai Pudong
Costco expands further in Shanghai with a third location in Pudong district. #business #expansion
Mar 1, 2023 CE
Costco announces plan for New Zealand warehouse
Costco confirms plans to open its first warehouse in New Zealand in 2025. #business #expansion
Dec 1, 2023 CE
Costco's market capitalization exceeds $250 billion
Costco's stock price rises, pushing market cap over $250 billion, reflecting strong investor confidence. #business #finance
Jan 1, 2024 CE
Costco raises hourly wages for employees
Costco increases its minimum hourly wage to $18, reinforcing its reputation for employee-friendly policies. #business #labor
Aug 23, 2024 CE
Costco's first warehouse in New Zealand opens in Auckland
Costco opens its first warehouse in New Zealand, drawing massive crowds. #business #expansion
May 1, 2025 CE
Costco announces plans to enter India
Costco announces joint venture plans for warehouses in India, targeting a 2026 opening. #business #expansion