Costco makes extended holiday hours on weekends permanent

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Shoppers will have more time walking up and down Costco’s aisles after the company announced the extended holiday hours at its warehouse-style stores have been made permanent.

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Costco Canada said on social media this week that all of its stores will now be open every weekend until 7 p.m. after previously closing its doors at 6 p.m.

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People with a membership will now have an extra hour on Saturdays and Sundays not only to shop for their family and themselves but also to look for that perfect holiday gift.

“You thought weekend hours were just for the holidays? Think again,” a spokesperson said in a video shared to Instagram on Wednesday.

“We’re making this a permanent change in the new year.”

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Costco membership fees

To shop at Costco stores, residents need to obtain an annual membership.

The personal or business options costs $65 plus tax and comes with two cards while allowing members to shop at its warehouses and online.

The executive membership will set shoppers back $130 plus tax and includes addition perks such as benefits and discounts on services, exclusive offers, a subscription to Costco Connection magazine by mail, and an annual 2% reward on up to $1,250 on eligible purchases including travel.

There are more than 40 Costco stores in Ontario, including 10 in the Greater Toronto Area and a business centre set to open Saturday in East Gwillimbury.

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Not a fan of longer hours

One person commented on the post that the extra shopping hours is a bad idea.

“It’s pretty ridiculous for Costco to extend its weekend evening hours as it directly impacts employees’ quality of life,” Chloe Denis wrote.

“They deserve time with their families, not even later shifts on the busiest days of the week.”

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Denis added that the extra time won’t be reducing the number of people inside the stores.

“It just puts more pressure on staff who are already dealing with heavy workloads and challenging customer service situations.”

Meanwhile, a company representative responded to another commenter’s concern that some stores may not follow the new hours. The rep advised shoppers to double-check store details for their specific location.

A check of GTA store hours shows many will close at 6 p.m. on Dec. 21, the last Sunday before Christmas Day.

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