Costco will drop COVID-19 senior hours at month's end
Some US locations will have varying senior hours until July 26
Costco plans to end its senior shopping hours at the end of July – another major sign that retailers are reverting back to pre-pandemic times.
Effective July 26, Costco will drop its weekday shopping hours dedicated to members who are at least 60 years old, those with disabilities or members who are immunocompromised, and resume its normal operating hours, according to an updated note on the retailer's website.
| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| COST | COSTCO WHOLESALE CORP. | 971.88 | +10.33 | +1.07% |
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This means the aforementioned customers will no longer have exclusive access to Costco warehouses from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. Monday through Friday. Until then, though, some U.S. locations will have varying senior hours, specifically in California and Hawaii.
The varying hours are:
- Culver City, California: Costco locations will hold senior hours from 8 to 9 a.m., Monday through Friday.
- Los Angeles: Costco locations in certain Los Angeles neighborhoods will have senior hours from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m., Sunday through Friday, and 8:30 a.m. on Saturdays.
- Richmond, California: Costco locations will hold senior hours from 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., Monday through Friday.
- Honolulu, Hawaii: Costco locations will hold senior hours from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m., Monday through Friday.
Shoppers search for items at a Costco Wholesale store August 4, 2020 in Colchester, Vermont. (Photo by Robert Nickelsberg/Getty Images)
Costco, like a majority of essential retailers, blocked off time for shoppers who were more likely to get very sick from the coronavirus as well as health care workers and first responders in early 2020 when the virus was rapidly spreading throughout the world.
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The company planned to reduce the hours for seniors and other vulnerable shoppers last July but reversed course after cases surged.
In December 2020, the retailer promised to extend its senior shopping hours "until further notice" due to the recent uptick in coronavirus cases.
COSTCO EXTENDS SPECIAL SENIOR SHOPPING HOURS INDEFINITELY DUE TO COVID SPIKE
Now that more Americans are getting vaccinated, allowing the U.S. to reemerge from the pandemic, retailers like Costco are relaxing their once-strict protocols. This includes dropping mask requirements for fully vaccinated shoppers and reopening food courts.
FOX Business' Lucas Manfredi contributed to this report.