The agony and ecstasy of Costco
On the one hand it's a business admired (if you're someone who admires businesses) by pretty much everyone. It’s the third largest retailer in the world, treats its employees better than most, always has the best price, and trades at almost 40x earnings (Google is floating around 30x earnings). They’ve discovered a unique business model that guarantees customers the best prices, and lets them prioritize their employees over almost anything else.
On the other hand I’ve never felt more depressed than the couple of times I’ve tried on clothes from Costco. It's emblematic of a lifeless approach to living where the highest priority is efficiency and quantity, screw how it makes you feel.
Their warehouses suck the life out of the lots they occupy with their drab, lifeless, windowless walls and unending parking lots.
It’s factory line living where economies of scale invade your personal life and you sit at the end of a conveyor belt filling up your car.
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