- May 5, 2024
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A petition and Facebook fan page was created Sept. 9 by landowner and developer Gus Simos, and a small team of Costco lovers, to bring the retail chain to Palm Coast. One 25-year-old Cause for Costco petitioner said the aim of the initiative is to get the company’s attention.
Simos, along with partners Jon and Jim Chisholm, own a 50,000-square-foot parcel of land on the corner of Seminole Woods Parkway and U.S. 1, which was re-designated Aug. 15 as a mixed-use development. The partners hope to sell the land to Costco.
Previously, Simos has developed through his company, Palm Coast Investments LLC, properties such as Lakeview Plaza, the Topaz Motel and Restaurant, the Ocean Marina and the Villages.
“We hope to demonstrate how much locals want to bring a Costco to this area, and not only gain a great store but also help stimulate our economy,” an organizer wrote on the petition’s online page.
According to JustMeans.com, the average pay for a Costco employee is $17 per hour. A new store branch would produce about 100 new jobs, Cause for Costco estimates, and about 300 jobs in initial construction.
Next, the organization will hang petitions in local stores and send an informational packet to Costco headquarters, along with tickets to travel to Palm Coast, survey the area and stay at one of the resorts.
Although Palm Coast City Manager Jim Landon was not previously aware of the petition, he said that the city had been contacted by Costco officials in November, who stated that the company was not looking to open here.
“However, these things do change,” Ernie Annibale, vice president of Northwest Atlantic, Costco’s realty advisory firm, wrote to Palm Coast Senior Economic Development Planner Beau Falgout. “Should Palm Coast become a targeted area for Costco, I will certainly reach out to you.”
It’s that “maybe” that drives the Cause for Costco effort.
To become fan of the cause, visit Facebook and type “Cause for Costco” into the search bar. To sign the petition, CLICK HERE.
As of Sept. 19, the fan page had more than 300 fans. The petition had 144 signatures.
