meta_pixel
Tapesearch Logo
Log in
KQED's Forum

Forum From the Archives: What Does Costco Mean to You?

KQED's Forum

KQED

Politics, News, News Commentary

4.6656 Ratings

🗓️ 24 November 2025

⏱️ 54 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Costco, the bulk grocery chain known for consistency, devoted employees and discounts, has 145 million members worldwide. New Yorker staff writer Molly Fischer grew up going to a Costco in San Jose (Warehouse No. 148, on Senter Road), and she says “being a child of California in the eighties and nineties offered a front-row seat to the rise of a retail juggernaut.” But new management and Wall Street pressure means that things are changing at Costco, even as its hot dog-and-soda deal remains $1.50. We’ll talk with Fischer about her new piece, “Can the Golden Age of Costco Last?” Guests: Molly Fischer, staff writer, The New Yorker - her recent article is "Can the Golden Age of Costco Last?" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

Sponsorship of this podcast comes from Stanford Summer Session,

0:04.2

allowing visiting students to study at Stanford for an academic term.

0:08.3

Learn more at summer.standford.edu.

0:12.0

If you had the smartest Wi-Fi, it'd be Xfinity.

0:16.5

It would boost speeds to the devices that needed them most

0:19.3

and to protect you from threats at home and

0:21.9

online. Xfinity. Imagine that. Restrictions apply. From KQED. Welcome to Forum. I'm Mina Kim. The look

0:34.6

of a Costco warehouse is unmistakable. Rows of industrial shelves stacked high with merchandise on pallets, red, white, and blue signage,

0:43.0

including one promoting its enduring $1.50 hot dog and soda deal.

0:47.3

And people love this place, not just for the discount prices.

0:51.3

They've associated their identities with it, like A.J. Buffumo and his son Eric, who've found fame as the Costco Guys.

1:00.6

We're Costco guys. Of course we get the sample, even though we've bought the thing the last three times we were here.

1:07.0

We're Costco guys. Of course we cool off in the milk fridge.

1:10.9

So all this I learned from reading New Yorker's staff writer Molly Fisher's recent piece on the retail chain and by examining my own interactions with the store, members since 2011 here.

1:22.5

But Fisher's piece also piqued my interest because of the question it asks, can the golden age of Costco last?

1:29.9

Molly Fisher joins me now. And listeners, are you a Costco fan? Why? Call 866-733-7-86. That's 866-733-6-7-86. Or you can post on our

1:41.9

social channels, Blue Sky, Instagram, Discord, or email forum at KQED.org.

1:47.5

Molly Fisher, welcome to forum.

1:49.1

Thank you so much for having me.

1:50.9

I got to say, when I think about hallmarks of my Bay Area childhood, KQED and Costco are right up there, neck and neck.

2:00.2

I mean, yeah, I'm in the backseat of the car. I'm in a

2:02.7

Previa. We're going to Costco. So this is perfect. Oh, yeah. Well, that's so great because tell me your

...

Transcript will be available on the free plan in 19 days. Upgrade to see the full transcript now.

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from KQED, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of KQED and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.

Copyright © Tapesearch 2025.