BELLINGHAM, Washington — U.S. shoppers at Costco’s Bellingham location are using Facebook to ask that the store make special shopping hours just for Americans and to complain that Canadian shoppers are causing the store to be crowded.
A Facebook page called "Bellingham Costco needs a special time just for Americans" was created on July 19, and has gained more than 2,000 "Likes" (people receiving updates from the page) as of this writing.
“[I]ts hard to find a parking spot. Them Canadians can be rude (sic),” The page reads, in part. “The lines are crazy. We aren't on a vacation and have an RV to hang out in like those Canadians. We just want to go shopping, not go on an adventure. Costco used to have special Opening Hours for Preferred customers. Why cant they do that for Us loyal American Customers (sic).”
CBC News reported that influx of Canadian shoppers is due to the strong Canadian dollar – gas and milk, particularly, are cheaper in the U.S. KIRO 7 first reported on the situation last year.
The administrator of the page said there’s no ill will toward Canadian shoppers, but some in Bellingham are frustrated by the situation.
“Basically, how would you feel if 10 extra people landed in your house out of your control and government officials wont let you do anything about it (sic),” one post read. “You would be grumpy at those 10 people that you have no choice but to deal with. Are those 10 people to blame, no they are not (sic).”
Costco told CBC the company doesn’t have any plans to alter its hours, and that its policy is that anyone with a Costco membership can shop at any Costco in the world.
The president of the Bellingham/Whatcom Chamber of Commerce asked residents to be patient.
"In the last two years, our sales tax generation has doubled or tripled the pace in the rest of the state, and its almost entirely because of the Canadians coming south," Ken Oplinger told CBC.
KIRO
