Costco

[Cheechako]

I would say not useful enough to: Seek one out, pay the membership, have to store large quantities. If you are a family and have large storage capability, then maybe yes. Otherwise... buy the local fare! Many of the interesting things I see when cruising I discover while looking for food!

[zeehag]

for costco in mexico membership is only 35 usd..... not a bad bargain, actually, when you consider the certain items they carry upon which we become hooked..

[bobconnie]

We got hooked on a brand of coffee beans they sold at costco when we lived in Cali ! but we found out we could order the beans direct from the maker/ roaster, and have been ordering them for 10 yrs now !! they will ship free to any US port ! That and there paper towels were all we ever really needed from costco, and we don't really need to get them in so Big a packages ! just our 2 cents And + 1 on Rouses in Louisiana

[PaulSommers]

OP asked specifically about the east coast of the US. I cruised down this coast in 2010 and early 2011. Being from the west coast my Costco card was in my wallet. We found very few stores within easy reach of the ports we visited in Maine, Massachusetts, and from Cape May through the Delaware and Chesapeake Bays and the Intracoastal from Norfolk to
Charleston. Nothing but local supermarkets for the most part. Buses got us to interesting local stores of various sorts in Boston, Annapolis, and Washington, DC. Charleston is a walking sized city, but no big boxes. We returned to the world of big boxes in Jacksonville FL - on the whole I can't say I missed them. What I did miss, apart from Bar Harbor, ME, Annapolis, MD and Deltaville, VA was convenient (walkable) access to boat parts stores. The scarcity of really good boat parts places along the intracoastal is amazing, especially if you have a rare engine that keeps breaking down, as we did until we got to Deltaville and plunked down the big money for a repower.

[Auspicious]

I agree that access to the big box stores, whether Costco or Sams, is challenging in most places without a rental car. If you are going to rent a car anyway it makes more sense.

On the other hand, SSCA cruising stations (if you are a member) will often drive you to a warehouse store for a big shop. I've certainly done that any number of times in Annapolis. I'm happy to share my Sam's membership with folks passing through.

Remember cruising stations are volunteers and don't have to drive you all over town. Most of us are either between cruises or in the trade so there are other demands on time. We volunteer to help those underway - cruisers helping cruisers.

You might also check ActiveCaptain for marinas that have courtesy cars. Sometimes a night in a marina with access to water, laundry, and a car is cheaper than renting a car.

[Sailor g]

:thumbs: for Costco. They do have great cheeses and other snacks for when you have people over But the savings alone on wine pays for our card. My Italian husband and our cruiser friends do enjoy the occasional sundowner.

The Costco in Ensenada is great and the Sam's in La Paz were good sources of familiar items (also good Spanish wines). I do agree though with visiting local markets for items for local cuisine! I still miss those bags of homemade refried beans from the CCC in La Paz and the empanadas de cajeta. The best!

[SailFastTri]

In Long Island Sound there is a Costco literally dockside in Port Chester, NY and another in Norwalk CT about 3-5 miles from the harbor by taxi. Can't speak for other locations.

As for the person who said they only have junk food, you obviously haven't shopped there. The food quality is top notch. Best brands and the meats, seafood and produce are excellent. For those of us who follow a plant-based diet (vegetarian or vegan whole-foods) they also have a good variety of foods to offer.

[gonesail]

the 3 pound can of kirkland columbian coffee is quite a deal.

[GaryMayo]

Costco and SAMs have web sites with maps of your nearby clubs. Have an iPhone or an android? There is an app for that.

Buying clubs for stocking a sailboat? Bulk buying for a tight space sailboat?

If Walmart and SAMs club have the same item and they usually do, Walmart always has the better price per unit and you do not need to buy five bottles of ketchup in a bulk pack. Also you are are always close to a Walmart. Largest employer in the world.

Kind of miss the old days when mom and pop stores had everything you needed. Katelman hardware, pharmacy on the corner with giant candy bars for a dime. Those were the good ole days.

[zeehag]

there are still those small stores here---is lovely not having to go to a huge store to buy the items of daily use....

[GaryMayo]

Katerman foundry, katelman hardware. A family pretty much owned our town growing up. They were several brothers and a sister. The boys took turns being mayor. The girl owned the hardware store with her parents. I heard someone ask her once when she would get married, and the 40 ish year old quipped back, when I find someone with more money than I have. She called everyone honey.

The spots where they had businesses are empty lots now. Not a stone sits on a stone. All gone.