Yeah, the best deals at Costco are batteries; they have bagels, English muffins, good deals on roast chicken, good nuts, canned salmon, and many other items that are hard to find elsewhere.
The best time to go (if your only option is evenings and weekends) is Monday evening, methinks, as most folks have already done their big purchases there on the weekend.
I have a card, so if anyone who doesn’t have one wants to shop there one time to check it out, I can take you in as a guest, then you can join if you think it’s a good deal. But I only go to the Minquan Bridge Costco, and only when heading home from work at 6:30 on M or Tues.
Well, if you are pushing a cart, you can’t keep walking. You are stuck to the sidewalk.
And the cart+family dimensions negate any pedestrian play-through.[/quote]
Indeed, I should have clarified that. I’m talking about cartless people, the ones that turn around with the “WTF!” look when I walk up behind them trying to go past.[/quote]
They’re the same people on the escalators at Sogo or Taipei 101, or on the moving ramps in RT-Mart. They seem truly puzzled that anyone wouild want to pass them, and I don’t know why. I’ve spent almost 6 years of my life in Taiwan and still haven’t figured out why people like to block these things. :loco:
At least people behave better on the MRT escalators.
[quote=“Chris”]
They’re the same people on the escalators at Sogo or Taipei 101, or on the moving ramps in RT-Mart. They seem truly puzzled that anyone wouild want to pass them, and I don’t know why. I’ve spent almost 6 years of my life in Taiwan and still haven’t figured out why people like to block these things. :loco:
At least people behave better on the MRT escalators.[/quote]
I saw the MRT Gastapo yelling a guy today for standing on the left. He was the only one on the escalator too
Having the standard 1 floor layout that I’m used to from the USA made me feel that they had the full inventory. Even in the USA there is some variation in what each store stocks. Or in the total square footage of each store. I dunno, it just seems big and new and flat, it feels like it has more square feet and a few more products, but I can’t prove it. I suppose all the Taiwan stores are on the same supply chain so it might boil down to square footage.
I live in Hsinchu and we have two Orange Mart stores here. Not monster stores by any means. They have pancake mix, they have Lender’s bagels, they have canned salmon, chicken and other nice items too. I know they buy some of their stock from Costco!
One is close to the science park, the other in FE21 Megastore downtown. They also have organic produce and meats. Great fresh breads and they even make real brown and multigrain breads that are not nasty sweet like most breads we find here. OH and sour cream too.
I am more than happy to pay a little extra and save myself the trip to Taipei, a bus or cab ride, then getting it all home somehow.
We all do what we feel is good for us. If that means shopping in familiar places like Costco for a 2 pound brick of cheese then by all means do it. There was a time and day when I wanted that much cheese, but now it would go mouldy before I ever ate it all.
[quote=“surreal_realism”]I live in Hsinchu (Xinzhu) and we have two Orange Mart stores here. Not monster stores by any means. They have pancake mix, they have Lender’s bagels, they have canned salmon, chicken and other nice items too. I know they buy some of their stock from Costco!
One is close to the science park, the other in FE21 Megastore downtown. They also have organic produce and meats. Great fresh breads and they even make real brown and multigrain breads that are not nasty sweet like most breads we find here. OH and sour cream too.
I am more than happy to pay a little extra and save myself the trip to Taipei, a bus or cab ride, then getting it all home somehow.
We all do what we feel is good for us. If that means shopping in familiar places like Costco for a 2 pound brick of cheese then by all means do it. There was a time and day when I wanted that much cheese, but now it would go mouldy before I ever ate it all.[/quote]
If it were only the cheese that made Costco worth it, then I’m sure nobody would go. To be honest, I’ve been telling a friend of mine how I’ve been spending less and less there recently. Seems he is doing likewise. Some of the prices at Costco are outrageous. Still, there are things there simply not available in other places. It’s not a necessity by any means, but a trip to Costco is one of the indulgences that make life here more bearable.
It’s the only place to get real meat, and for that it’s worth it. What do you need to provide to join? Presumably their opening gambit is “foreigners aren’t allowed to join” but what after that one is dealt with? Birth certificate? Health check? Letter from parents?
The simplest one to access is the Neihu branch. Simply take the number one into Taipei. When the freeway splits into two soon after the toll booth, take the right fork. Keep going until you come to Jiu zong road exit. Costco is located a stone’s throw away from the exit.
These were the same directions given to ancient mariners looking for the northwest passage…
After the Taishan Toll station, and once you pass the Wuku exit, get in the right hand lane and go up onto the overpass…You’ll want to be looking for the Tiding Exit, which is the 2nd exit after you see the domestic airport on your right. The exit itself splits and you’ll want to stay to the left. Take a right at the bottom, go through one large interesection, and you’ll see Costco on your right about 100 meters past the light. If for some reason you miss the exit, don’t bother trying to turn around…Just continue on the overpass until it reconnects with the one. When you see the turnoff to the 2nd freeway, take it going south. After 1,5km you’ll see the first exit (Nankang/Hsijr). Take it, right at the bottom and go straight for about 200meters until you hit a T-intersection, and the Hsijr Costco is right there on your left. Nicer store anyway.
No you have directions to both. I haven’t been to the new one in Chungho yet, but from Taoyuan Neihu is probably a scotch closer.
The NeiHu store stopped selling the fresh (well, not powder) big tub of Macaroni & Cheese (it is usually located next to the “fresh” alfredo sauce) about 2-3 months ago. Does anyone know if the other two stores still have it? Since my time in Taiwan I have come to realize why a lot of people in the States refer to M&C as “comfort food”.
While I’m at it… The NeiHu store also stopped suppling fresh raisin English muffins (for about a month now) and fresh blueberry bagels (only last visit, could have just been sold out).
If these items are still available at the other stores, please let me know.
I’ve just concluded my first ever visit to Costco and I can safely report with a full belly that not only does Chung Ho store sell fresh English muffins, blueberry muffins but also those gorgeous lime crisps. Ahhhhh heaven.
I went to the JungHe Costco yesterday from Nankan, Taoyuan via the #2/#3 freeway and I would highly recommend it for Taoyuan, Yingge, Hsinchu, Chungli, Yangmei people.
About 30mins and very close to the freeway interchange(like 2 mins). Plenty of parking, not that crowded, checkout queues virtually non exisitant - and this was at 4-5pm Sun, which I would have thought would be around ‘peak time’ for the week.
What I have found tho, is the maps Costco provide are virtually useless unless you are familiar with the neighborhood already. Being an out of towner, I have put together some better maps.
I will post this seperately below, so then the powers that be can make that post a sticky if so desired, and forever banish the “how do I get to costco” threads.
