Wundery Plus subscribers can binge new seasons of Business Wars, ad free right now.

Join Wundery Plus in the Wundery app or on Apple Podcasts. 40 years ago, the founders of Costco hoped their membership-based warehouse store would catch on.

But it's hard to say if anyone could have predicted just how popular the brand would become.

Today, Costco is way more than a place for small businesses and growing families to stock up on bulk goods.

It's a beloved cultural institution with customers across every demographic.

And with virtually no paid advertising, Costco has commanded strong profits and growth year after year.

But when Costco first opened its doors in Seattle, Washington in 1983, the now common pay-to-play shopping model was only just catching

on.

The company had to earn customers' trust by making some unconventional business choices, while also keeping quality high and prices low.

The founders weren't afraid to take on losses in order to build and maintain shopper's satisfaction. It's a strategy that has paid off with more than 800 Costco

locations throughout North America and the world. Today we're uncovering how this wholesale giant went from a humble experiment to a brand worth

$345 billion.

Stick around for this special episode of Business Awards.

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