Groceries

Costco Just Announced It's Backtracking on This Policy

New COVID-19 infections are spiking across the country as the contagious delta variant spreads.

By Amanda McDonald

July 20, 2021

New COVID-19 infections are spiking across the country as the contagious delta variant spreads. It has already forced certain restaurants to reinstate mask mandates regardless of vaccination status—and grocery stores are no different.

Costco quietly announced a few weeks ago that it was ending its special shopping hours on July 26 for those members who are over 60 years old, those with disabilities, and those who are immunocompromised. However, in an update to its Coronavirus Response webpage on July 19, Costco revealed that it's backtracking on its decision.

"Effective July 26, 2021, Costco warehouses in the U.S. and Puerto Rico are open for special operating hours from 9 to 10 a.m., Tuesday and Thursday," the chain says.

"Instead of discontinuing, we'll maintain hours for seniors Tuesdays and Thursdays, until further notice," Richard Galanti, Costco's chief financial officer, also told USA TODAY.

The policy was put into place in March 2020 to allow eligible members to bypass long lines and social distance more effectively while shopping. In the beginning, the special hours were only offered twice a week, but Costco later expanded them to every weekday morning. They were originally set to end in July 2020, but they are once being extended after more than a year.

Several stores have varying special operating hours. These warehouses include:

Culver City, California: Monday through Friday from 8 to 9 a.m.
Los Angeles (Los Feliz, Northridge, Pacoima, Van Nuys, and Woodland Hills): Sunday through Friday from 9 to 10 a.m. and Saturdays at 8:30 a.m.
Richmond, California: Monday through Friday from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m.
Iwilei (Honolulu), Hawaii: Monday through Friday from 8 to 9 a.m.

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