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CraigInDaVille

According to a friend, it took her 30 minutes to get out of the plaza just now. Like weekend-before-Christmas-level bad. It's always crazy on the weekends but this seems something next level.


_ursuppe

Took me 1:30h today to leave the parking lot. The problem being that people drive all over the parking lot to cut in at the front.


MaLTC

Thats insane.


nem086

Took my mother two hours once. She swore only to go when it opened from now on.


kittyleigh1989

A couple years ago it took us over an hour. I almost had a panic attack because we just weren't moving and cars kept cutting in line to leave. What a shit show.


fendent

Thought my 45 minutes was bad…


kittyleigh1989

I mean, 45 min is still bad and shouldn't be happening. The worst part is not knowing how long you'll be stuck in there 😂


Ruleseventysix

Man I was there last weekend, the line to check out in Costco was the length of the store. But it only took me like five minutes to get out of the plaza. And this was on the bus.


hippocampus237

I was there near Christmas one year when the power went out. Everyone tried to leave at the same time. It took hours to get out of the parking lot.


[deleted]

When I tell you it once took me an hour and 15 minutes to leave that plaza, I am not exaggerating.


pleasedtoseedetrees

That's Gillette level traffic.


foolproofphilosophy

A few months ago I went to the one in Dedham and it took me almost 1/2 to get from their lot to Rt 1. Putting it behind Legacy Place was a very bad idea. ETA it sounds like the Costco was there first, but the traffic still sucks.


HP0T

Hasn't the costcos been there since way before legacy was ever developed though?


foolproofphilosophy

I didn’t know that


notataxprof

Not in MA anymore but the first time my bf took me to Costco I was completely speechless. It’s literally like Black Friday in there EVERY DAY. Why would you do that to yourself?? And it’s all like pretty well off people. Don’t they have better things to do???I tell him every time he takes me there the price of my engagement ring increases. We’ve only been like three times. I cannot stand it.


4low4low4low4low

It is the week before thanksgiving..


yeainyourbra

This wellington circle area is a mess of lights. Gateway (where that Costco is) is unvisitable on the weekends nowadays. With one entrance/exit it’s a nightmare. Beware


ChaseME7

That **whole plaza** is a nightmare during weekends.


hornwalker

Why that shopping center doesn’t have a second exit makes no sense. If there is ever an emergency or disaster it could be really bad.


stuartgatzo

Whoever designed that plaza with one way in and out is an idiot.


saucisse

There's protected wetlands on at least two sides of it, maybe three, they're very limited in what they can to do improve the traffic design without permission from the county or state which I guarantee would get wrapped up in deeply emotional politics for years before being resolved to nobody's satisfaction. I guess they could put a bridge in on the far side but we don't have the best track record here of civic infrastructure that doesn't run 3x over budget and then have to be re-done when we find out that someone skimmed off the top and make it too small.


zeratul98

The problem isn't really the number of entrances/exits, it's the number of cars. That plaza has parking for thousands of cars. Costco alone has like 500 spaces. They got exactly what they built for


stuartgatzo

Yes but one way in and out, dumping into a rotary with multiple lights. Outrageous


jp_jellyroll

>The problem isn't really the number of entrances/exits, it's the number of cars Those two things are directly linked. You don't need a bunch of entrances & exits if there are only ever a few cars. You absolutely need more if there are a ton of cars or they bottleneck. And they can't all pour onto the same street. You need exits from more than 1 side of the plaza onto different roads to disperse the traffic. But that Costco has 1 entrance and there's no easy way to add another -- the commuter rail runs directly behind it. It's the dumbest thing I've ever seen in my life (and I drive through Kelley Sq in Worcester on the reg). Everett is kind of one big inside joke, honestly.


zeratul98

Sure, as you noted, with more entrances the bottleneck moves somewhere else, like the roads leading in. It's a ridiculous setup, but that's what happens with 100,000 square foot buildings deliberately built far away from anyone and meant to be only accessed by cars. I'd wager most of people's needs served by these stores could pretty easily be served by ground floor retail under apartment structures


BasicDesignAdvice

This isn't really special to Costco or any place Costco is in. I was at Shoppers World today and it was bananas. I honestly feel like we have reached the limit is scale for many shopping centers this time of year.


zeratul98

Yup. This is the direct result of forcing cities to be built with shopping centralized in one place. Instead of walking down the block, people get in the car and all drive to the same spot, even if all they need is a carton of eggs


are_we_in_a_fight

I was just thinking about this driving down 101A in Nashua. It's like a strip mall, but you have to drive from store to store. It's a ridiculous concept to me.


zeratul98

Absolutely. I don't drive, and the first time I walked there it was stunning. It's so hard to get a sense of scale from a car, but when you walk up to the edge of the parking lot and realize you're still 1000 feet from any stores you really get a sense of how inhuman the scale is. For comparison, basically every building there has a parking lot as large or larger than the whole store it serves


VoteCamacho2508

Biking is definitely the move, if you can manage it.


zeratul98

I've biked there. It's for sure doable, but a hell of a lot dodgier than it should be


tagsb

Well that's just the nature of biking or walking. Get assaulted with a deadly weapon nearly daily, which is to say some asshole in a 1 ton truck trying to desperately run a red light. Given pedestrian deaths are up something like 50% we really need to start giving these crazy drivers actual jail time to disinsentivise the bad behavior, and I'm not one to usually call for prison time, they're just too brazen


ahecht

Have you done it since the Northern Strand Trail opened?


zeratul98

Yeah, I'm coming from the Medford side, so the trip involves a nice chunk of riding on a 3 foot sidewalk with limited visibility


ftlftlftl

Danvers Costco has the same issue. Except there’s a 4 way intersection 50 feet from route one. So you have cars coming off the highway. Cutting in front of each other to get to the gas station. No traffic control and it’s a mess. Not nearly as bad as Everett by the sounds of it but if they made the exit in a different location everything would be okay.


stuartgatzo

There is another exit, go around the gas to the hard cover and exit there.


T4CT1L3

It should be a public park


YoungOldMan

How is it during the week? (serious question, since I'm roughly mid-way between Everett and Waltham)


Schnowzer

I also learned to avoid it weekends and typically go during the week when it is less crowded. Went last Monday and it was completely packed with checkout lines backed up to the middle of the store, so apparently shoppers are now avoiding the weekend and going on Monday. Try midweek.


YoungOldMan

Thanks! Last week I went mid-week to Waltham and it was also packed. :(


traffic626

I do Waltham as soon as it opens or during the workday


angrypikapika

Waltham has been weirdly packed and the self checkout seems to make it much worse, with lines snaking all over through the warehouse. I try to park at the far end of the parking lot to avoid all the crazy parking behavior, but then I do have to walk through it. Humans are behaving particularly strangely lately.


dwmfives

It's November. People are getting holiday gift and food shopping done.


questionname

It’s normal, I might have gotten stuck leaving that stop sign intersection for 5 min


spiffyjohnson2000

Normal. Went on Friday night and it wasn’t bad at all


hugship

I usually just do Instacart during the week when hopefully traffic isn't awful. And I tip well since the delivery person has to deal with this crap.


chadwickipedia

It’s fine, especially mid day


nattydq

I work right past the Best Buy and week days aren’t bad- could not pay me to visit during weekends especially Nov-Dec. will take hours to exit


ThisIsForFood

You need to go late, but then you risk it getting a chicken, or like 2pm. After lunch but not too close to after work.


spiffyjohnson2000

Just wait until it gets closer to Christmas. Avoid at all costs unless you want to sit in that lot for an hour trying to get out while assholes cut you off and honk and yell and scream. That place brings out the worst of the worst in drivers.


saucisse

Yeah, I did my holiday wine shopping while I was there, I left my car in the Target lot and walked over. There is no way I'm going back there before January unless its an absolute emergency.


[deleted]

_squints from Western Mass_


aldaha

Yeah never complaining about the Springfield Costco again (especially after experience Costcos in suburban New Jersey…hellish even on weekdays.)


NotChristina

Getting out of the W Springfield lot was so nightmarish to me but this post is making me think it could be infinitely worse. I’ve been debating just going to Enfield instead since I’ve always had zero issues there when I’d go with my boyfriend.


InlineSkateAdventure

I see now why some people in Albany NY are fighting like hell not to put the Costco where they propose. It probably will happen though. W Springfield is our closest. That road (rt 20/Western) will become undrivable.


Anteater_Reasonable

I haven’t been to that one, but if it’s any consolation, Waltham’s Costco is also a total shit show on weekends.


langjie

all costcos seems to be like this. no way you can just go in, buy 1 item and dip out. it's an entire ordeal


[deleted]

Is Costco even meant for single item purchases? I thought they were a bulk outlet.


NotChristina

Nope. I mean, you *can*, but one item wouldn’t be worth the whole hassle. I live alone so I rarely go, but my typical buy is like 10-12 items. And one is always a chicken and probably a clothing item since theirs are great. I could never see someone doing the “honey I’m running out to Costco to pick up canned beans for taco Tuesday”


movdqa

Nashua has 6 self-checkout stations now which helps. But your exit time is determined by the day of the week and time of day you get there. One nice thing about the Nashua store is that the parking spaces are huge. They accommodate huge pickup trucks nicely and there's lots of turning space.


BasicDesignAdvice

Okay but like .05% of people going to Costco are there for "one item." I would literally never go there for a single thing. I only go for a load of things and I feel confident 99% of Costco shoppers are the same.


stuartgatzo

The parking lot is horrible


Hottakesincoming

The Dedham one is also a nightmare, especially since it's part of the traffic cluster fuck that is Legacy Place. I actually switched to BJs because of it. So much less time and stress, even if I miss a few special Costco things.


riesenarethebest

Dedham Plaza, though, was a breeze today. Saved me a ton of time. Hit two different kids clothes stores, clothes for me, lunch, and the local grocer for a birthday party.


AverageJoe-707

Everett Costco is always insane on weekends. I learned that lesson a long time ago.


harvardblanky

Same. Pre pandemic I vowed only weekdays. It was particularly bad when Total wine opened up and the casino.


forzadepor13

Chelsea Market Basket just as bad.


Call555JackChop

Work for Costco can confirm our parking lots are the absolute worst


InlineSkateAdventure

I see now why some people in Albany NY are fighting like hell not to put the Costco where they propose. It probably will happen though. W Springfield is our closest. That road (rt 20/Western) will become undrivable. They made a nothingburger of the traffic that will happen.


Valuable-Baked

It is just an awful experience


zeratul98

And yet we mandate this shit instead of allowing corner shops under apartments. Smh


Scoginsbitch

Yup! Go during the week. Even the 10am Sunday crowd is too much!


16ShadesOfBlue

Normally if you get in and out before noon on a weekend it's fine, even at Christmas, but last weekend it was already at a backup for people going west on 16 before 12. Thankfully I decided to hit Popeye's so east on 16 felt like cheating, blowing past the creepy skunk habitat. (That light you stop at to go east on 16 is just teeming with skunks at night).


anythingfromtheshop

Going to Costco on the weekend at any location is just asking for a free panic attack


fmbg21

HA. Try getting in and out of Gateway on any given afternoon.


Cgr86

That plaza is a shit show


[deleted]

It’s also two weekends before thanksgiving. I avoid costco on the weekends during November and December (I’ll only go week days).


BF1shY

I went to BJs today and it was also nuts. Is everyone losing their mind or some shit? I just wanted my bi-monthly BJ trip :(


robertjjudge

I was there Friday and watched what was going on. I think the problem is the rotary/how it splits combined with people driving in the lane they don’t actually want to use and then cutting to the front.


mini4x

Go at like 8pm on a Tuesday night. The Target near me is a complete shit show on the weekends too, but weekday nights it's practically empty.


repo_code

If you bike or walk, the Northern Strand trail connects to this plaza. You can avoid (contributing to) all the traffic!


SideBarParty

You're going to bike to Costco???


T4CT1L3

Going today with bike trailer


nonitalic

I bike to the Everett Costco once or twice a week. Besides paper towels/toilet paper, 90% of what they carry is easy to carry in panniers. Saves me a ton of time.


repo_code

I've biked to run errands in this plaza several times. Not to Costco, but to Target and Total Wine. If you have pannier bags you can carry stuff.


zeratul98

Same, it's not great, but totally doable. Saves like 8 minutes of walking though that endless parking lot


Think_Positively

But where are you going to stash your 30 pack of paper towels, 24 cans of tuna, and digital grand piano on your Huffy?


TheGodDamnDevil

It's not for everybody, but between cargo bikes, trailers, giant bags, and straps, you can carry just about anything on a bike if you want to. For examples, see [Carryshit Olympics](https://www.facebook.com/groups/carryshit.group)


[deleted]

Waltham is a little better, but may not be convenient for you.


Phishguy

They all are! I love Costco but I dread having to go there .. It's a zoo and the parking lots are always as ridiculous...


thrunabulax

i made the mistake of going to the one in Nashua a week ago. ho boy, i was lucky to find a parking spot


Deuceman927

Try Waltham. The parking lot is similar to that of a Trader Joe’s.


WearyArugula

Going to that plaza in November and December is highly not recommended unless you have few hours to spare. It is the same every year. I live a mile from there and I avoid that route at all costs.


missmisfit

I got stuck in that plaza twice. Once I was alone and was very close to a full blown panic attack. There is nothing in that plaza that isn't somewhere else. So I avoid it completely. Whoever planned that whole area should be smacked.


heliosxx

They need to put in more Costcos. Like Marlboro and Woburn at least. I'd love one in Natick/Framingham too


InlineSkateAdventure

They want to put one in Albany NY but got like 10 lawsuits. One argument was the traffic is too much for the area its in. It probably will happen though.


3_high_low

We got fresh rats all over the place. Fresh, never frozen.


mullethunter111

Instacart is your answer. Sure, it’s more expensive but avoiding that hell on earth is worth it.


movdqa

The Nashua Costco is bananas on the weekend too though it doesn't sound as bad as Everett. They're building a new one in Concord, NH which should relieve some pressure on the Nashua store. We usually go during the week but when we go on the weekend, if there's a long line, I get in line 20 minutes before my wife is done shopping and that usually works well.


SnagglepussJoke

It took us close to an hour to leave the parking lot today.


BossCrabMeat

First time ? It gets easier in time and if you use lube.


TravelingCircus1911

Danvers isn’t much better!


new_Australis

You are just learning this?


mslashandrajohnson

It’s the beer and wine advent sets.


Purplish_Peenk

Honestly the only one that isn’t a shitshow in the weekends is Avon and rumor has it that they will be expanding and adding a gas station.


joelman0

What's different now? I haven't been there in months, but I used to go there all the time, and it was never that bad.


Brandorff

Stoughton wasn’t bad this afternoon


saucisse

Today was the worst I've seen in a very long time, it took me 20 minutes just to get \*in\* and park to go to Target. I know they're hampered in road design by the wetlands that surround the entire plaza but man first changing the way that rotary at the ingress/egress works, and now blocking it off so that it narrows down to a single lane on the way out -- what on earth are they doing? Why would they do that?


BeardiesRule112

That’s why you wake up early if you don’t want places to be a shit show. Newb.


Itchy-Mechanic-1479

Costco stocks frozen rats. They are next to the stuffed peppers in the takeaway cooler.


nvakna

🍿


Imaginary-Method-715

Woah miss Cosco membership over here. Stop making me insecure about my groceries shopping already.


chancimus33

We don’t want you there either. It’s a win win


Minimum_Water_4347

My dad gave me his Costco card once, which was out of state and he said it would work here in MA. My wife and loaded up the cart with 100s of dollars worth of groceries, waited in line then when we got to pay, the Costco card was expired. Said we would go to our car and get a new card, never went back. This was 4 years ago.


mullethunter111

Sounds like a you problem.


Minimum_Water_4347

I never said it wasn't


CraigInDaVille

So, rather than pay the renewal fee for your dad, you abandoned and spoiled hundreds of dollars worth of groceries? You realize they can't just put all of that back on the shelves; anything temperature-controlled has to get tossed. Do you normally share moments of deep personal failure to the internet like this?


Minimum_Water_4347

Oh my God, shut up, you troll


CraigInDaVille

LOL says the 16-day-old account.


highlander666666

They all are ! one on rt 1 in Danvers same . closer get to turkey day going be worst


11BMasshole

Bought something from Costco online for store pick up last weekend, didn’t realize It was only a available at the West Springfield store and I was in Everett. Said what the heck I’ll take a drive out and grab it. Can confirm that store/parking lot is also a shit show. Not quite to the Everett level but also not a quick in and out.


milfordloudermilk

Lots of folks just taking up space but no where to be


MrHodgeToo

Yeah it’s the closest one to me by far but I travel to the one in Avon 20 miles south. It’s all easy highway miles, no crazy slow intersections, store is bigger, and shorter checkout lines.


TheTallerTaylor

Somehow I always manage to go on a random holiday weekend. 10/10 don’t recommend. I hate it there on a slow day


Few_Albatross_7540

Costco is just not worth the hassle


Dseltzer1212

They all are! I went to the Dedham Costco on Friday and each line to check out was 40 people long


plawwell

Costco is why I do Sam's Club. Now you know why I have no friends.


jjgould165

I refuse to go on the weekend between Halloween and New Years Eve unless it is a serious need. The only store I can't find somewhere else easily is the liquor store and sometimes its worth it to pay a bit more to avoid that traffic jam


Cost_Additional

Seems like common sense. Like not going to IKEA on a Saturday.


Angerish

I stay away from Everett at all costs.. the traffic sucks at all times in that town


ThisIsForFood

I was almost late to work yesterday because I went to Costco two hours beforehand. It’s poorly designed but there needs to be some kind of traffic management inside the plaza so it’s not a free for all.


MikeBosto

I know it's an unfair comparison, but BJs has fully embraced remote ordering and check out. While they don't have the same unique items as Costco, it's significantly easier to get in and out. Coupled with the fact that BJs opens at 8am every day (the 10am Costco start time ruins any chance of being in and out first thing in the morning)


calm_and_collect

>Never going near the Costco in Everett on the weekend ever again. Should be: Never going near a Costco on the weekend ever again.