With all the hubbub about the Bellingham Costco in past two weeks, it’s great to see some Canadians are handling it with a sense of humor.
In The Province’s online site (link) is a story about a Canadian design studio took one of the insults mentioned on one of the Facebook pages – Milk Piranha – and turned it into a humorous t-shirt, showing a big jug of milk with that phrase.
If you missed last week’s Bellingham Costco flap, here’s the (link)
According to The Province, the Richmond group Creative Apparatus is selling the t-shirts for $20 in the hope of “(adding) to the nonsense.”
excellent- just bought one of the shirts, can’t wait to wear it to Costco or Edaleen Dairy.
Before the mayor and City Council get all dreamy-eyed about a new, bigger and better Costco maybe they better look at a July, 2012 article online entitled “Is Costco Broken?”
Costco stocks are underperforming and Costco sales have been in a “slow bleed for more than a year” due to the fact that “the aging Mcmansion baby boomer population” has “evolved into downsized empty-nesters” and to the fact that internet shopping is taking a big bite out of their box-store venue.
Costco is “running out of steam.”
What a shame it would be (but so like Bellingham) to catch the falling rather than the rising star and to put down all that cement and asphalt for a future Ghost town.
Or maybe the City doesn’t mind if Costco fails once foisted on us because they have other, bigger, secret plans for even more sprawling growth in the immediate vicinity?
Probably the idea would be to follow the Obama/Gregoire totalitarian mandate to forge ahead with “exports,” i.e. the criminal Trans Pacific Trade pact (look it up) by making Cherry Point (GPT project) into a “gateway” for the import/export of widgets and GMOs – all to be shipped to Blaine to be stored, processed and shipped out in big, dangerous panamax cargo ships, and etc…..
Our city money should not go to huge corporations which compete with local merchants and small businesses.
Money gained by destroying the trees and beauty of Bellingham to create an ugly box store, congestion, noise and big acres of cement does not compensate for the damage to the environment and the destruction of our quality of life.
As to the Facebook page it is obvious that it was put up to have the easy to fool believe that the right thing to do is to give approval for the new Costco to be put in.
As to who put it up; it probably was by someone who had money to gain in getting approval for the new store. As to how this story got national attention it was no doubt part of this propaganda to sell the notion of the huge box store. Propaganda works and the public is sold bad things each day.
The fight is not Americans against Canadians. The battle is against the huge companies that control our politicians at every level of government. Did Costco contribute to Linville’s campaign fund? If so how much was given?
Do not fall for this trick. We can say no to the huge store without offending our Canadian neighbors. We can say no to Kelli the supposed hometown girl.
switching topics to Costco expansion plans: I think the first serious question or request would be to have some clear documentation why the present site cannot be used for an expansion of the existing store. While Costco certainly has every right to move (provided they follow all the rules), that does not mean the COB should be obligated to make a bunch of new roads, etc, if they are not needed. I would rather have the city work to help keep the store where it is- that seems to be a lot more efficient and environmentally friendly. If they cannot very clearly demonstrate the present location prevents their planned expansion, then the city should not supply the new roads. The second question is what happens to the present building if Costco moves?- my bet (and fear) is that the next thing to go there would be a WalMart Superstore, as the use/zoning would be pretty much set up for that. So, we could have a giant box-store 2-4-1 deal?
We need an honest government that does not make special deals in secret.
Read the Northwest Citizen’s article by Windy Harris, The real problem with Costco.
The real problem is as she says is that in a letter dated June 20, 2012, obtained by the Herald through a Public Records Act request, the mayor offered $1.5 million in road construction to improve store access from I-5, subject to city council approval.
The mayor also offered Costco the assistance of experienced Planning and Public Works staff for site-specific questions and concerns regarding state and federal agencies.
Other proposed forms of assistance listed in the letter were redacted.
The letter from Kelli cannot be read because great portions of it have been blocked out
.
Why was this special offer made?
Why would staff time be spent in this manner?
Why are parts of the letter hidden?
..tempest in a tea pot. It was page 5 ‘news’ in an Enquirer style rag here in Calgary about a week ago. Ho hum. One of my co workers saw it in an equally low rep rag buried somewhere in the back in Toronto.
So, seems to me like BH is going for the record on trying to squeeze the juice out of a dry turnip on this one…
Some Americans will do anything to embarrass themselves and our country. Of course, they learned it from our political leadership…
Let’s not forget what our wonderful neighbors to the north do for us. They spend their money in the US, stimulating our ecomony. Yes, Bellingham is feeling a bit crowded these days both on our roads and in our stores. But please don’t lose your manners and act like spoiled children. Let’s all share and get along! They are very hospitable when we visit Canada. So I say thank you.
I read about the Costco milk affair (“as it came to be known”) in Colorado.
The problem is Costco is not keeping up with the supply during the demand. They should have more stock and more cashiers. Maybe set up extra cashiers outside the exit. It’s not difficult to shop there as Costco is so big. It’s when you get in line to pay for your item takes way too long. There is plenty of parking if you don’t mind walking the extra 50 yards. I park near Starbucks so my car won’t get dings and the extra half minute walking is nothing compared to parking in the cluster. The worse problem is the small bathroom. I go to Office Depot’s bathroom. Hardly anyone there and all the time you want on the toilet with no knocks.
hmmm maybe us frustrated Americans should get shirts with turbans and asians on them that have gas cans and milk jugs and say stay home hoarders haha ummm no…