Costco mornings are now the perfect spot for a first hand boomer experience

Costco recently began allowing executive members to enter an hour earlier than those with a standard membership. It’s been really nice shopping early without the rush.

Twice now I’ve gone about 20 minutes before their hours open for all and it’s like the entrance area has now become a boomer daycare. It’s mildly entertaining (and also sad) to see them expending so much anger and annoyance just because they have to wait. (Non boomers are usually sitting outside or in their car keeping themselves occupied) Here are some highlights:

• it was difficult to get a shopping cart one Saturday morning about 9:45 because the area was congested with boomers waiting with their carts in random places clogging up the entrance. When I managed to get a cart I kept saying excuse me as I navigated to the doorway- several boomers shouted out “ITS NOT OPEN YET!” I just kindly replied “it is for me” and carried on. More quiet grumbling

• upon scanning my card and walking in there was a boomer woman next to me insisting she could go through because she’s a paying member. The greeter kindly explained she didn’t have the executive membership.

Boomer “so if I go and upgrade, I can get in now?”

Employee “yes, but it’s only about 15 minutes until everyone can shop, so it might not be worth the time, it will probably take that long to upgrade”

Boomer “thank you, I’ll do just that. I’ll go upgrade and then you can let me in soon. Thank you!”

• I recently grabbed a ticket for the optical shop. There was 1 person in front of me also waiting. I was trying on glasses and any time I looked at glasses near the optical desk the boomer would move closer as if to prove they were next. Like yeah I know, I have a ticket. The boomer never said anything but was protecting his spot as if he were next in line to be king or something.

• a few moments later during my turn there was a boomer who was next and she just kept getting closer and closer to me, as if it would speed up the process of ordering Rx lenses. The store associate had to grab something out of a locked cabinet in the glasses case and she instantly started asking him all these questions. Couldn’t even wait until her turn. Then as he finished my order she was practically breathing down my neck. When I finished my purchase he had barely handed me my receipt and she reached over and handed him her ticket and said “it seems like you need some additional help back here!” She had waited maybe like 15 minutes which isn’t bad when shopping for glasses.