Costco’s newest store is about to open in SoCal after years of litigation
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store → open → litigation
After years of litigation and anticipation, Camarillo is getting its own Costco Wholesale outpost.
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Camarillo → get → outpost
Michael Okuma, Costco’s director of real estate development, confirmed that the newest warehouse is scheduled to open to shoppers on Oct. 30.
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warehouse → confirm → Oct.
Located on West Ventura Boulevard between Highway 101 and the Camarillo Airport, the 160,000-square-foot warehouse will have a food court, bakery, pharmacy, optical center, hearing aid center and tire service center.
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warehouse → locate → court
The facility will also offer a wider product selection, including items such as sushi, that aren’t available at older, smaller branches.
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that → offer → branches
The new Costco also has a 32-pump gas station, which began operating in May.
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which → have → May
It will have more than 877 parking spots.
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It → have → spots
The Camarillo Planning Commission initially approved the development project in 2023, with the location slated to open in 2024.
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location → approve → 2024
The development was delayed after a community group called Ventura County Citizens Against Mega Gas sued the city in 2024, alleging that it failed to conduct a proper environmental review.
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it → delay → review
A Ventura County Superior Court judge ruled for the city, but the citizens’ group appealed the decision.
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group → rule → decision
The legal battle ended earlier this year when an appeals court issued a final ruling in favor of the city.
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court → end → city
Ventura County Citizens Against Mega Gas didn’t respond to a request for comment.
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Citizens → respond → comment
“This is a tremendous win for Camarillo,” City Manager Greg Ramirez said in a statement about the ruling.
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Ramirez → say → ruling
“We are thrilled to welcome Costco to our community and proud of the persistence and dedication that made this possible.
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this → thrill → persistence
Costco will not only provide shopping convenience for our residents, but also strengthen our local economy and create new jobs.
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Costco → provide → jobs
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“We are hearing nothing but excitement in the community,” said Camarillo’s economic and business development manager, Georg Winkler.
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manager → hear → community
“We’re all anticipating going and shopping there, and changing our weekend routines.”
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We → anticipate → routines
Before Costco’s Camarillo opening, bulk shoppers had traveled to neighboring cities such as Oxnard, Simi Valley and Westlake.
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shoppers → travel → Oxnard
“This will help us recapture what we call retail leakage from the other cities, and keep the Camarillo residents in Camarillo,” Winkler said.
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Winkler → help → Camarillo
Another incentive is Camarillo’s low sales tax of 7.25%, compared with Oxnard’s 9.25%.
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incentive → compare → %
Amid heightened economic anxiety and inflation, shoppers are increasingly looking for ways to save.
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shoppers → heighten → ways
As a result, discount retailers such as Ross, T.J. Maxx, Marshalls and Home Goods have seen stronger business and surging shares.
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retailers → see → business
Despite being a Costco shopper, Joan Handzel is more concerned that the new warehouse will increase traffic in her neighborhood nearby on Springville.
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warehouse → increase → Springville
The 86-year-old resident signed the lawsuit against the city and Costco because of those fears.
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resident → sign → fears
With the store’s grand opening nearly one month away, Handzel says most of her neighbors are excited to shop there.
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most → say → neighbors
“I don’t think they’ve anticipated what kind of traffic we’re going to have,” she said.
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she → think → traffic
“They don’t realize that on Ventura Boulevard, it’s going to be packed.”
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it → realize → Boulevard
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