Costco looks to build its world’s largest store in Fresno

Costco, the world’s largest membership-only retailer, is trying to build its world’s largest store.

The company has proposed constructing the massive 241,000-square-foot building in Fresno, which would surpass the current record held by Salt Lake City’s 235,000-square-foot location, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.

The proposed warehouse would be the equivalent to over four football fields, and it would be situated on a 22.4-acre property in Fresno’s northwest corner.

The facility would not only serve as a warehouse but also include additional amenities such as a delivery distribution center, a 32-pump gas station, and a 4,800 square-foot drive-through car wash. 

The proposal, which spans over 1,000 pages, outlines the various offerings within the warehouse, including a tire center, optical exams and sales, hearing aid testing and sales, a pharmacy, food service preparation and sales, meat preparation and sales, bakery and baked goods sales, and alcohol sales.

About 47,000 square feet of the building would be designated for Costco’s home delivery business, making it off-limits to customers.

The intended location of the new Costco store is in Fresno’s northwest corner, and it is set to replace an existing Costco facility in the city. The project is currently undergoing a 45-day review period, during which the public can provide comments to Fresno’s Planning and Development Department. After this period, a final environmental review will be conducted.

Jose Valenzuela, the planning official overseeing the development, has not responded to requests for comment. 

Costco has made big moves in California. In January, Thrive, a Los Angeles-based unit of Magnum Real Estate Group of New York, announced plans to build a six-story building with a Costco store and 800 apartments at 5035 West Coliseum Street in Baldwin Village, Urbanize Los Angeles reported.

— Ted Glanzer