On Friday, Nov. 4, 2016, moms officially took over Costco.
In partnership with City Moms Blog Network, 98 Costco stores opened an hour early JUST for moms. From 9 – 10 a.m. that morning, more than 40,000 parents, families and friends attended Costco Mom Hour across the country.
Columbia SC Moms Blog was thrilled to be included as a host for the event, with more than 600 registered attendees right here in our community! We loved being able to share with folks all the great things the newly opened Costco has to offer, as well as make connections with new friends and old.
Swag Bags
The first 100 guests received a swag bag PACKED with Kirkland products, Costco’s signature brand, as well as other popular products. Guests began lining up as early as 6:15 a.m. to ensure they snagged the coveted goodies!
By 7:15 a.m., the parking lot was jammed packed with families waiting in a line wrapped more than halfway around the building! Costco was gracious enough to begin letting folks in early to ensure mamas and babies were warm in the crisp fall morning.
Delicious Breakfast
Once guests were inside, Costco treated everyone to a delicious breakfast consisting of enormous muffins and croissants baked fresh in-house, seasonal fruit, yogurt, breakfast bars, an assortment of Kirkland juices, hot coffee and bottled waters. The line stayed PACKED all morning! Employees were gracious and interacted with everyone as they personally served each guest.
Scavenger Hunt and Prize Giveaways
Once the clock officially stuck 9 a.m., Costco opened up the main store for shopping and a scavenger hunt to win prizes – two $100 Costco Cash Cards and a year supply of Tide pods. Participants had the opportunity to learn more about the store and its departments, and upon completion, were entered into these three amazing drawings for great prizes!
Shopping, Shopping, Shopping!
One of the main benefits of Costco Mom Hour was to provide moms the opportunity to get a jump start on their holiday shopping prior to normal business hours. It also allowed individuals who had never shopped at Costco to get a sneak peek at what all the buzz is about surrounding the store.
Tons of Samples
Costco is known for their samples, and Costco Mom Hour did not disappoint! Guests were able to sample some of the top selling Kirkland products as well as other customer favorites!
Exclusive Membership Offer
As part of the event, Costco offered their best membership to date! Upon signing up, each new member received a $20 Costco Cash Card for a regular membership and a $40 Costco Cash Card for an executive membership! Plus both offers included $43 in store coupons! Lots of folks took advantage of the deal and the membership desk stayed busy filling requests.
Fun Photo Opportunities
To help add some more fun to the event, we set up a photo station with props, our backdrop and the infamous Costco bear … and the results were adorable!
Cute Kids
While it was a “mom hour,” we couldn’t turn away any cute kids! Everyone was welcome! Here are just a few of the cuties we were able to grab a shot of.
Building Friendships
One of our favorite aspects of the event was the opportunity it gave moms to meet others in the community traveling the same path of motherhood, as well as provide a morning out for existing mom friends! We loved seeing everyone socialize and have a great time!
A big thanks to Costco for hosting the event, to everyone who joined us, and for the great feedback we received from our guests. We hope you’ll join us at future events!
Want to get a glimpse of the events from the other 98 warehouses that participated? Search for #CostcoMomHour on Facebook, Instagram & Twitter!
Columbia SC Moms Blog Professional Photography via Andrea Wood Photographer. View all her pictures from the event here.