Second New Costco Coming Off North Main

The Costco at Kenaston seen in the above picture never has this empty a parking lot. This was taken during the Covid period. Built in 1992 and expanded, it was the biggest of box stores to go up in the area and attracted Walmart in 2000 and many other stores over the years. Costco parent company Kirkland said during an event honouring their CEO in Winnipeg that the city was on track to get a fourth Costco soon. Well, the last five years have been difficult ones with the pandemic, supply chain issues and now tariffs but the Winnipeg region has seen announcements for a fourth Costco and now a fifth Costco as well.

Two new Costcos in the 160,000+ square feet size in the west and north of the city are gamechangers. In truth, the city will have little say about the one on North Main as that is a block or so into the West St. Paul Municipality. Approvals are likely to speed through there. It is possible the province might have something to say about urban sprawl or traffic along Main. Meadowland and Main could become exceptionally busy.

I don't think there is anyone in Winnipeg who will deny that the three Costcos in Winnipeg now are packed to the rafters. Kenaston's store can be a nightmare at any time in the next and on any day.  Getting to the store along Kenaston is just as bad and those coming into the city or across the city to get to any Costco must dread it. 

It is without a doubt that people in the west and north parts of the city will make the new Costcos their chosen location. To be sure, it will relieve some of the strain on the other locations. However, the business is growing even now so people should not expect wide aisles with no one around to be annoyed as you stroll slowly with your cart sideways.

As for the smallest Costco, it will be closed a few months to become a Costco Business Center. It is very likely we will see a publicity push to explain what that is. For all intents, it will be a bulk supplier of goods and more suitable for a restaurant than say a family kitchen, better for an office manager than printer cartridges for the family office and so on.

In essence though, by the end of 2026, Winnipeg will have four Costcos and one Costco Business Center. They will cover all four quadrants of the city and the more central Polo Park area. The new locations will transform the north and the west retailing when they go up. That is to say that retailers who sell gas, do car repairs or sell services will have to better match prices. No more premium on gas sold on west Portage or north Main. Competitive prices on tire sales, tune-ups and the like. 

Grocery stores in the area will have to keep watch on prices at Costco. And restaurants will want to locate near Costcos. This is true for retailers as well. I can't imagine a liquor or cannabis store will want to be too far away. Just think what Costco did for the Kenaston area. In short, could Costco on west Portage result in Moxie's, Earls or Joeys opening nearby? Expect there to be a rush.

Hundreds of jobs will be created in construction and hundreds more employed at the stores. All in all this is a very good news story for Winnipeg as well as West St. Paul. This will hopefully add more competition to the grocery, gas and merchandise market in the city. The Unicity location should be up by October 2025 and the other location is expected in 2026.