By Councilmember Fimbres
April marked the tenth anniversary of the dedication and opening of the Costco at 1650 East Marketplace, at The Bridges, a major component of The Renaissance of Ward 5.
On April 14, 2011, the ribbon was cut for the Costco, former Tucson Mayor Bob Walkup, former Pima County Supervisor Ramon Valadez, joined me and the four surrounding neighborhoods leadership: Willie Blake, James Christopher, Cindy Ayala, and Maggie Gerring, to open the store. Costco’s founder, Jim Sinegal, was present to open this new store, as well as Dave Adamson, the first store manager.
The opening of the store happened in the middle of the greatest economic recession. Even with that, the Costco opening was a record breaker for the store and company.
A total of 731 individuals signed up for new memberships with Costco that day. Sales for the store was $780,000, both new first day records.
Thousands of Ward 5 residents, as well as others from Tucson, Southern Arizona and Mexico, shop at the Costco, and at the other stores at The Bridges.
The management of Costco have said this store is one of their best stores in Arizona and the nation. Costco has expanded their workforce at the Bridges to meet the growing need of customers at the store.
Costco showed the South side would support the store and that there was a market of consumers for businesses.
También puedes leer: Ward 5 Update april 2021
First major component
The success of Costco was the first major component of The Renaissance of Ward 5. This took a lot of work with the Council office, the neighborhoods, the developer Retail West and most importantly, the good citizens of Ward 5 and the South side, who showed Ward 5 and the South side was a viable market. Eighteen months of work prior which led to the dedication of Costco, the first store built at The Bridges.
This working relationship between the Pueblo Gardens, Western Hills II, South Park and Las Vistas Neighborhood Associations and the developers has received accolades, awards and still continues to this day. I want to congratulate everyone for their work and the success they have created in the Ward to this day, which has led to the Renaissance of Ward 5. I want to thank Costco for taking the risk, during a recession, to open the store and for its success.
In future articles, I will go into the other successes, something I will go into. The Renaissance of Ward 5 started with the Costco and continues to this day.
