Costco to build store in Cedar Park, officials say

Costco expects to hire 300–400 full- and part-time employees for its 150,000-square-foot store, said Dave Messner, Costco vice president of real estate. He said the store will serve the thousands of Costco members who currently travel and shop at the Austin stores—one in the Arboretum area and one in Southwest Austin.

“We think that it’s a great Costco customer base up there,” he said. “We look for a high-end members, and you’ve got solid incomes in the Cedar Park area.”

The Issaquah, Wash.–based Costco Wholesale Corp. focuses on selling low-priced items often in bulk for an annual membership fee.

The Cedar Park store will have a four-island fueling station in addition to the groceries, electronics, clothing and household goods it sells inside.

“We’ve been talking about it for years now, building a store in Cedar Park,” Messner said, adding the store will serve the surrounding areas of Leander, Round Rock and beyond.

Cedar Park Director of Economic Development Phil Brewer said Costco’s decision validates the years of work city leaders have invested with the company.

“City representatives have had many meetings with Costco over the last three to four years, talking about expanding and opening a store here in Cedar Park,” Brewer said. “Their decision to come here will have a positive influence on other retailers and restaurants who are looking to come here as well.”

News of Costco opening in Cedar Park comes on the heels of city council’s decision Thursday to rezone Town Center from downtown district to general retail, and a week after Wal-Mart’s announcement that it will open a second store in Cedar Park at the northwest corner of RM 1431 and Ronald Reagan Boulevard. Brewer said both retailers were drawn to untapped potential in the city.

The sales and property tax will create a positive revenue stream for Cedar Park, Brewer said. A Costco store averages about $130 million of total sales annually, though not all is taxable, he said.

Construction will begin in next summer, Messner said.