Ocala residents continue to write in to share their desire to see a Costco built in the city. Here are some of their letters:
“I am a lifelong Costco member and it is my preferred place to shop. With the closest store right now, over 60 miles away, I have only been there one time. I moved to Florida 2 years ago to Ocala. It is a rapidly growing city. I used to go to Costco in Washington 2 to 3 times a month, and sometimes more often than that. I really would appreciate something a little closer. Now that I’m retired, driving long distances is difficult for me. Thank you for letting me share my thoughts.” – Nancy Carter, Ocala
“I’d love to see a Costco in southwest Ocala or on 40, near the airport. It would serve the surrounding communities as well. I currently drive to the Westley Chapel Costco (90 miles) for most of my bulk purchases and fuel. I do shop at Sam’s for very few items. I lived in Northern California and had access to no less than 6 Costco stores within 40 miles of my home, the closest being 13 miles. I don’t understand why there is not any in this area.” – Scott Strickland, Dunnellon
“We would love a Costco in the State road 200 and 484 area. It would create more jobs, there is land for one.” – Kellee Eressy, Ocala
“We definitely need a Costco in Ocala. We lived in the town where their headquarters are located. So we are die-hard Costco members. Traveling to Orlando got old, so I wrote a Costco admin about locating a Costco here. The idea was turned over to the property acquisition folks. This was before AutoZone, FedEx, Chewy, and Amazon located here. Maybe the idea deserves another look by the folks at Costco. Many factors are considered before they locate a store in an area, but one hopes they will look again. I am happy to have the Daytona, Clermont, and St.Augustine stores open, providing a safer drive than one to Orlando.” – Carol Fraser, Ocala
“I grew up in Georgia and weekly trips to Costco were the norm for my family. After moving to Ocala, we joined Sam’s Club, but the food quality is lacking and it doesn’t have the same friendly feel as its competitors. The addition of a Costco to our town could really elevate our shopping. Not only would it bring hundreds of new jobs, but we have the land to facilitate a store this large. With Buc-ee’s underway in the Ocala area, I feel that adding a Costco to the mix would be a great benefit. It would also help cut down the obnoxious gas line at the poorly constructed Sam’s station.” – Olivia Kasper, Ocala
“Just read the article about Costco being built near ‘The Villages’ which would be great. But what about in Ocala too? I only ask if you will put the gas pumps in, please don’t put them near the store. Put them away from the store to avoid any kind of accidents. My husband and I have a membership in Macomb, Michigan and we love it. We have a membership to Sam’s Club in Ocala because there’s no Costco. We do not like going there because of the gas pump situation, it’s a bad accident waiting to happen” – Kathy Steinman, Ocala
“We could use a Costco in Brooksville. Or closer to my area. A lot of us drive over an hour to find a Costco. I like it much better than Sam’s or BJ’s. Costco would benefit from being in our area.” – Charlene Coan, HomosassaÂ
“I think the locations choice is perfect, it’s central to Ocala and adjacent communities, yes it will cause more traffic, but we are growing so fast that it should meet the needs of everyone.” – Janet Sweeny, The Villages