Location, border attracted Costco to Niagara Falls
Big-box retailer shows confidence in growing south-west end of the city
Being in the heart of a growing area, off the QEW, and close to an international border crossing was all the convincing Costco officials needed to decide to open a location in Niagara Falls, says regional marketing manager Ken Saumure.
“First off, it was this site — helping Niagara Falls revamp the area here,” he said.
“Also giving us the opportunity now to transform the St. Catharines location into a business centre to better serve the entire business community between Burlington all the way up to here.”
Niagara Falls missed a chance to have a Costco nearly 30 years ago. Back when it was known as Price Club, the company wanted to open a Niagara Falls warehouse, but city council yielded to concerns from some grocery stores about potential loss of jobs.
Instead, it opened in St. Catharines near the Fairview Mall in 1993.
But on Friday, Niagara Falls finally got its Costco, as the St. Catharines warehouse moved to a location 24 per cent bigger on the Niagara Square property, which is undergoing redevelopment in the growing south-west
end of the city.
The area around Montrose and Mcleod roads has seen many successful developments over the years.
The Walmart super store opened on the other side of the Queen Elizabeth Way, anchoring a strip mall on Oakwood Drive. Lowe’s opened across the street, anchoring a strip mall on Mcleod Road. A residential boom came to the south-west end of the city, and a new south Niagara hospital is scheduled to open nearby in 2026.
Mayor Jim Diodati credited Serge Felicetti, the city’s director of business development, for working “his butt off to make sure this came together.”
“This is the right place at the right time with the right company and we’re absolutely thrilled,” said Diodati.
“Costco is going to be a huge success. We welcome them, we roll out the red carpet and we say thank you for having confidence in Niagara Falls.”
Gino Dorico, senior vice-president and general manager for Costco’s Eastern Canada region, thanked the more than 30 customers who gathered outside the store before a 6 a.m. ribbon-cutting ceremony and 7 a.m. opening.
“The St. Catharines members who have been loyal to us … I thank you very, very much for being good members, and I really appreciate you being here today,” he said.
“You’re going to really love what you see here. I’m sure some of you have already experienced our gas bar. You will experience new services. You will experience much more space, especially during these tough times of a pandemic.
“You’ll see the building is much bigger than what you’re used to shopping, so that will help in many regards.”
Rachel Mercier, general manager of the Niagara Falls Costco, said the new location has led to the creation of 40 jobs, along with “everybody” from the St. Catharines site moving to the Niagara Falls store. “We’re not done,” she said. “We will be looking at hiring in the near future — I just don’t have a number right now.
“It all depends on how busy we get.”