Costco is a glorious place. We all know this, right?
Thinking about you lately
(And nope, this isn't sponsored by Costco. I just love it, OK?? 🙃)
But all Costcos are a little bit different in terms of what they sell. For example, you can pick up bakery platters of chocolate crepes at Costco France — or bulk sashimi at Costco Japan.
I knew the differences were most obvious at Costco's international locations — but I'd never really thought much about the differences between Costcos across America.
(I should have, though! Because it wasn't until I moved to Washington, DC that I started seeing edible government buildings made of chocolate in Costco's bakery section.)
One place where that's apparent? Costco Alaska.
Mariah Osborne Krueger recently posted a virtual tour of her local Anchorage Costco on Facebook. And I, for one, was low-key fascinated by it.
"Personally, Costco is my happy place," Mariah told BuzzFeed. "I do most of my shopping there. Any time someone asks where I got something, they usually answer it themselves by saying, 'Nevermind! Probably Costco.'”
As Mariah explains, even the warehouse setup of Alaskan Costcos is a bit different — with ultra-insulated walls and industrial heaters hanging from the ceiling.
They also sell a bunch of items that are Alaska staples. Here are some highlights:
1. Bear spray
Mariah sums up: "Spray and pray!!"
2. Blackout curtains for Alaskan summers, during which there can be 20+ hours of daylight per day.
As Mariah explains: During the summer in Anchorage, the sun sets at midnight and rises at 3 a.m. Alternatively, during the winter, there are only about four hours of daylight per day — and Costco sells SAD lights instead.
3. Wool socks year-round
Even now in July — Alaska's warmest month — average daily temperatures range from a low of 48° F to a high of 65°F.
4. Float coats
For boats! The jacket version of a life vest.
5. Whole pigs for roasting
I'm part-Filipina and my mind is kinda blown at the idea of whole roasted pig (or lechón, as we call it!) available at Costco. 🤯
6. Tons and tons of fishing gear — including some you'd expect:
Fishing rods, storage coolers, wading pants.
7. And some you might not — like these huge salmon traps:
"This is a dipnet trap used for scooping salmon out of the river," explains Mariah. "It's very unique to Alaska because it's used for subsistence fishing only."
8. Lotta crabs, of course!
9. And jumbo shrimp:
10. A corner with propane tanks and a casual chainsaw:
Sure, why not??
11. Tents galore:
In the fall and winter, these will swap out for more seasonal outdoor gear — like trekking poles, snow shoes, makeshift carports, and sleds.
12. And a ton of mosquito repellent:
To fend off, as Mariah says, the Alaskan state bird. 🦟
13. A cracker called "Sailor Boy Pilot Bread":
"This is stale, round cracker," Mariah says. "It's an Alaskan staple and the only state that the company ships to."
14. Fan-favorite ginger beer:
15. And doomsday food with a shelf life of up to 25 years:
Or: 2020 in a container!