I'm not often disappointed with items from Costco, but last night I regretted spending money on the jarred Santa Sweets grape tomato bruschetta. I had it on grilled Italian bread and the only good thing I can say about it is that I was less hungry afterward. I'm thinking I might be able to put the rest of it to us in some kind of Tuscan-style bread stew so it isn't a total waste.

you could always return it

gleam wrote:you could always return it

After I opened it and ate some of it? Doesn't seem cricket to me. It's not like it made me sick; I just didn't like it.

Katie wrote:

gleam wrote:you could always return it

After I opened it and ate some of it? Doesn't seem cricket to me. It's not like it made me sick; I just didn't like it.

Not sure how Costco rolls, but "I opened it, tried it, and didn't like it" is a valid reason for return at Trader Joe's and Whole Foods. Judging by the signage I've seen all over both stores, and past experiences, I'd say it's even encouraged by both.

costco will take pretty much anything back. even if you just dont like it. of course, this isnt a policy i want people to abuse in case they end it, but i did it once with some cheese that i thought tasted dreadful, not spoiled, just bitter and nasty, and they took it back without a murmer. justjoan

They take back flat-screen TVs people buy just to watch the SuperBowl.

Saw a turkey carcass being carried into a Costco a few days after Thanksgiving.

I wanted to SLAP the person....

^^^

mhill, please swear to me this is true. Brilliant. Could only be better if they brought back a few empy bottles of Far Niente too.

JeffB wrote:^^^

mhill, please swear to me this is true. Brilliant. Could only be better if they brought back a few empy bottles of Far Niente too.

True story...

After I shopped I stopped by the counter to inquire about the returned turkey. I was told that it had been returned
do to it's "toughness" Seems it was a tad over cooked (but mostly consumed)

OK, here's mine -- at Sears long ago I saw a guy returning a large "kiddie pool" poorly repacked in a wet, duct-taped box. It was late September and I recall a crisp autumn breeze.

JeffB wrote:OK, here's mine -- at Sears long ago I saw a guy returning a large "kiddie pool" poorly repacked in a wet, duct-taped box. It was late September and I recall a crisp autumn breeze.

Speaking of Sears, I once saw an old codger bring in his rusty Craftsman hedge trimmer with old fashioned wooden handles (obviously something he bought in the 40's or 50's) and ask for a replacement because he broke one of the blades. It was replaced with a brand new pair with shitty plastic handles (they don't make them like they used to) without so much as batting an eye. Now that's a lifetime guarantee!

stevez wrote:

JeffB wrote:OK, here's mine -- at Sears long ago I saw a guy returning a large "kiddie pool" poorly repacked in a wet, duct-taped box. It was late September and I recall a crisp autumn breeze.

Speaking of Sears, I once saw an old codger bring in his rusty Craftsman hedge trimmer with old fashioned wooden handles (obviously something he bought in the 40's or 50's) and ask for a replacement because he broke one of the blades. It was replaced with a brand new pair with shitty plastic handles (they don't make them like they used to) without so much as batting an eye. Now that's a lifetime guarantee!

There are people who cruise garage sales/maxwell street market/etc looking for ancient Craftsman tools, have them replaced, and then turn a tidy profit reselling them..

Of note: Costco did change their return policy a couple years back for TVs and a few other big ticket items -- you now only have a 60 day return window, but you get an extra year of warranty and "concierge" tech support. People who bought TVs before the policy change are grandfathered in, though.

New to the Clybourn Costco food court: Gelato, made in store. $1.59 for 2 scoops in a cone, $4.99/quart (don't quote me on these). Flavors: pistachio, strawberry, stracciatella. I didn't try it.

The Costco in Niles has 10.7 oz jars of Saigon cinnamon for $2.99.

Has anyone heard if or when Costco is putting up a new store in Melrose Park at the Kiddieland site? Nothing on their website that I can find.

Cogito wrote:Has anyone heard if or when Costco is putting up a new store in Melrose Park at the Kiddieland site? Nothing on their website that I can find.

Yes they are.
http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local-be ... 09629.html

About the gelato . . . .

Pretty good. Very good for the price. Not as good as Freddy's, but then what is?

Cone is $1.50 for 3 scoops, $4.99 for quart. The pistachio was extraordinary, the vanilla with chocolate bits was very good, and a nice foil for my fresh raspberries. Haven't tried the berry yet; it's some kind of a mixed berry thing.

We were told that at the moment there are only 2 Costco stores offering gelato; the one on Clybourn [I REFUSE to call that area Lincoln Park} and on in Houston.

Giovanna

Giovanna wrote:About the gelato . . . .

Pretty good. Very good for the price. Not as good as Freddy's, but then what is?

Cone is $1.50 for 3 scoops, $4.99 for quart. The pistachio was extraordinary, the vanilla with chocolate bits was very good, and a nice foil for my fresh raspberries. Haven't tried the berry yet; it's some kind of a mixed berry thing.

We were told that at the moment there are only 2 Costco stores offering gelato; the one on Clybourn [I REFUSE to call that area Lincoln Park} and on in Houston.

Giovanna

There's one in Orange County near Disneyland that has their foodservice at an outdoor window (can't recall exactly where it was). When I was there last year they had gelato.

Giovanna wrote:the one on Clybourn [I REFUSE to call that area Lincoln Park}

Off-topic digression, but I help to administer a listings website where that comes up all the time.... Lincoln Park is three thing things: A park, a neighborhood (the area more or less near the park) and a community area. The community area, an official city designation, does indeed stretch that far west. (And Realtors and buiness owners try to cash in on that fact.) But as I am trying to make clear to my colleagues, nobody THINKS of that area as Lincoln Park and so it's just better to call it the Clybourn Corridor. Thanks for backing up my assertion!

Himself succumbed to the lure of a package of High Plaines All Natural 100% Bison Dogs (uncured).

Don't bother. They are skinless and bland.

LAZ wrote:Himself succumbed to the lure of a package of High Plaines All Natural 100% Bison Dogs (uncured).

Don't bother. They are skinless and bland.

They may have more than one kind. I bought some the other day as well, although I threw away the cardboard covering so I don't recall the brand. Anyway, the ones I had were not skinless, and were very good. But then again, how many different kinds of Bison Dogs can they carry?

On a similar note to the Bison sausages (which I have no tried), the Amylu apple and gouda chcken sausages are pretty darn good.

Cogito wrote:Has anyone heard if or when Costco is putting up a new store in Melrose Park at the Kiddieland site? Nothing on their website that I can find.

Foundation is in and girders are being assembled. They were working on the weekends also, it is going up fast. Supposedly it will be open in the Oct/Nov. time frame.

thetrob wrote:

Cogito wrote:Has anyone heard if or when Costco is putting up a new store in Melrose Park at the Kiddieland site? Nothing on their website that I can find.

Foundation is in and girders are being assembled. They were working on the weekends also, it is going up fast. Supposedly it will be open in the Oct/Nov. time frame.

There's a big sign up in the Niles store announcing the impending opening of Melrose Park.

Schaumburg is getting gas pumps!

I drove down Nroth Ave. today past the new store site. It looks like the frame is in place, I'm surprised that they have made so much progress already.

Hi,

Last week I was at Costco to order a carrot sheet cake with apricot mousse filling. I pulled out the order form to find no carrot cake nor any choices on the fillings. I could choose from a chocolate cake with chocolate buttercream or a white cake with vanilla buttercream, then a novelty decoration on top.

Nobody was in the bakery department to talk to. I proceeded to order what I liked: carrot cake with cream cheese frosting and apricot mousse filling. I added if this was not available, to please call me. Nobody called.

When I picked up the cake, it was stated the carrot cake sheet cake was discontinued. This time there were people working behind the counter. They advised they now offer carrot cake in a smaller round cake. What about the variety of fillings for the sheet cakes? Those have been discontinued, too.

Waiting for my tires to be rotated this evening, I found the manager to talk about their sheet cakes. She quite enthusiastically advised they had simplified ordering the cakes, but I could get whatever I wanted. I told her the note on the carrot cake advised it was now discontinued. She cheerfully replied, "I guess you can't get the carrot cake anymore." What about the choices in fillings? She said they were eliminated to make it easier to order.

I explained my thoughts on this new simplified ordering form. "You took a terrific product for the price point and dumbed it down. What made it special was the ability to customize the fillings. The carrot cake with its cream cheese frosting was a great option, if one didn't want buttercream. It's been simplified to nothing special and perhaps even mediocre."

I asked her to please convey my thoughts to her management. I then went over to write a note in their suggestion box. You may wish to do the same.

Regards,

Cathy2, I am disappointed in their simplification at the bakery as well. I read about the change on the Addicted to Costco blog's comment section here. I've never had the chance to order one of their cakes before until last week when we had a shower for our admininstrative assistant at work. I had always wanted to try the carrot cake w/apricot filling that you have spoken so fondly of in the past. We ordered the vanilla.

Cathy2 wrote:Hi,

Last week I was at Costco to order a carrot sheet cake with apricot mousse filling. I pulled out the order form to find no carrot cake nor any choices on the fillings. I could choose from a chocolate cake with chocolate buttercream or a white cake with vanilla buttercream, then a novelty decoration on top.

In the "There's always a silver lining" department, the fact that you can now get buttercream filling instead of mouse filling is a big plus to me. At least some of their customers will be happy about this change, although it's too bad they eliminated the carrot cake option in the process of improving the other cakes.

stevez wrote:

Cathy2 wrote:Hi,

Last week I was at Costco to order a carrot sheet cake with apricot mousse filling. I pulled out the order form to find no carrot cake nor any choices on the fillings. I could choose from a chocolate cake with chocolate buttercream or a white cake with vanilla buttercream, then a novelty decoration on top.

In the "There's always a silver lining" department, the fact that you can now get buttercream filling instead of mouse filling is a big plus to me. At least some of their customers will be happy about this change, although it's too bad they eliminated the carrot cake option in the process of improving the other cakes.

Costco update:

Unfortunately, the reports of buttercream filling between the layers of a Costo cake are erroneous. You still can only get the insipid white chocolate mousse filling with buttercream making an appearance only on the outside of the cake. Still, if a supermarket cake is in the cards, Costco's beats Jewel or other cakes of that type.