You’ll still be able to take advantage of the famous hot dog deal. You’ll still have the opportunity to stuff yourself with rotisserie chickens and stock up on comically large containers of mayonnaise and Nutella.
But if Costco, the chain of warehouse stores with a cult following, goes through with new plans, you won’t be able to buy books there—at least for most of the year.
The company will stop selling books year-round starting in 2025, the New York Times reports, only bringing them back for the holiday shopping season. The newspaper cited four unnamed publishing industry executives, who said the retailer told them that stocking books was too labor intensive.
Publishers Weekly reports that categories of books that sold well at Costco included book club picks, cookbooks, and children’s literature box sets.
Literary agent Robert Gottlieb told the Times that publishers are worried about the change, saying, “Costco across the country was a big outlet for books. There are now fewer and fewer places to buy books in a retail environment.”
Readers lamented the retailer’s plans on the social platform X, with one user writing, “The way a lot of people in underprivileged areas get books from pharmacies like Walgreens, grocery stores, dollar stores, discount stores like Ollie's, and big-box stores like Sam's Club and Costco. If places like these stop selling books, underprivileged communities are screwed.”
Another posted, “Legit love the book station at @Costco. I usually end up getting a book every time I’m there. And I always see kids with their parents looking at the various stacks of books when I stop by. Bummed by this decision.”
Michael Schaub is a contributing writer.
