With Cranston out, Warwick begins courting Costco. Could it happen?
WARWICK — Could Costco come to Warwick?
That's what Warwick's City Council President Stephen McAllister is trying to make happen, after the big box bulk retailer withdrew its plans last year to build a location in Cranston on the site of a former prison.
McAllister said he wants to convince the retailer that his city is the perfect fit. To that end, he invited one of Costco's executives for the Northeast region to tour Warwick and sit down with municipal, state and business leaders.
He hasn't heard back on whether the executive will take the meeting yet, but he only sent the email on Sunday, he said.
Why Warwick for a possible future Costco?
"The reason I thought of the idea was so many people read about it in the news and were calling me, texting me, asking, why can't we get them to come to Warwick? And I thought, it can't hurt to ask," McAllister said.
Warwick has the infrastructure, including access to multiple highways, it's in the middle of the state and is, depending on the census count, the second or third largest city in the state, as Cranston and Warwick keep swapping places on the rankings, he said.
"I thought I'd extend the invitation and see if we can get everybody in the room and let's discuss options," McAllister said.
'Then it was gone': Costco's not coming to Cranston anytime soon. Here's why.
In his day job, McAllister is the Eastern Region Vice President of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, covering 11 states, so interacting with businesses, and advocating for them, is part of his daily routine.
Where could Costco go in Warwick? How about the Christmas Tree Shops
Among the spots McAllister said might be a good fit are the closed Christmas Tree Shops and the adjacent building.
"It's right off of Bald Hill Road, and would be a really good option," he said.
Warwick is filled with good locations and is a hub for larger commercial properties, he said.
"It's important to throw your hat in the ring," McAllister said.
What happened to Costco's Cranston plans?
Costco has proposed, then withdrawn, plans for locations in Cranston twice.
The first time in 2020, neighborhood and political objections killed plans for Costco at Mulligan's Island mini-golf, part of a larger redevelopment plan for the site.
The second time came in September 2023. Costco had plans for a nearly 17-acre site at a former prison at 20 Goddard Ave. that it submitted to Cranston planning officials, and then withdrew days later. No reason was given.
In a a news release, Cranston Mayor Ken Hopkins wrote that the application was "paused for apparent further development discussions" and that he is hopeful Costco will come back to the Goddard Avenue site.
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Reach reporter Wheeler Cowperthwaite at wcowperthwaite@providencejournal.com or follow him on Twitter @WheelerReporter.
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Will a Costco open in Rhode Island? Warwick wooing the retailer
