Costco eyes second location in Des Moines metro

Ankeny residents, rejoice! Costco is considering opening a store in the northern suburb.

Details: Costco is proposing a nearly 200,000-square-foot location east of I-35 and north of NE 36th Street near Otter Creek Golf Course.

• The store would include a tire center, gas station and nearly 800 parking spots.
• The address is listed as 4000 Northeast Spectrum Drive — a road that hasn't been built yet.

Plus, it would be the first Midwest Costco store with an attached distribution center, taking advantage of the suburb's vicinity to I-35 and I-80.

• The store is nearly 50,000 square feet larger than the average Costco because of the distribution center.
• There will be enough stalls for nearly 30 semitrucks.

The intrigue: Despite the pandemic accelerating the nation's "retail apocalypse," Costco sales are thriving, even as it eschews modern amenities.

• There are no aisle signs. No curbside pickup. No easy grab-and-go. It's the opposite of Amazon's conveniences.
• Costco's appeal is the treasure hunt experience that encourages customers to look through the store, feeling elated when they come across a good deal, similar to a store like T.J. Maxx.

The big picture: Costco's willingness to open a second metro location speaks to the metro's rapid population growth.

• Ankeny's population is expected to surpass West Des Moines, the metro's longstanding retail hot spot, within a few years.

What's next: Ankeny's Plan and Zoning Commission is considering the proposal Wednesday. If approved, it'll go to the City Council.