Costco Gave Its Kirkland Brand Its Own Store?
A small town in Canada opened up a store dedicated to selling only Costo Kirkland-branded products, however, keyboard warriors on Reddit have been debating whether such a store is legitimate.
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Costco’s bulk-buying membership-only superstore is incredibly popular for its affordability and family-friendly products. It’s signature Kirkland brand is one of consumers’ favorite parts about the retail giant, which is finally getting a debatably legitimate stand-alone Kirkland outlet that only features the brand’s products. A small town in Canada has become the go-to place for Kirkland items, though people online have been profusely discussing its validity.
Though the Kirkland brand is a significant selling point for Costco subscribers, it’s been revealed that certain products under the label are actually from big-name manufacturers. Take the signature brand’s double A batteries, for instance, which are actually Duracell products with the Kirkland label slapped on top of their packaging. The same goes for Kirkland coffee grounds which are Starbucks’ grounds in disguise.
Though Kirkland may be hiding its true manufacturing under its packaging, the prices are unequivocally lower than the regular retail product, which keeps Costco customers returning. A town in Canada constructed a place for Kirkland lovers to get all their discounted products outside of the Costco membership, but some people are wary about its legitimacy. Commenters on the subreddit r/Costco discussed the legality of the Kirkland outlet after a customer posted a picture inside the store.
According to Mashed.com, the Kirkland outlet operates under a different name than its recognized Costco title. The store is called Bayberry Lane, a boutique gift shop on Prince Edward Island, the farthest eastern province in Canada. The shop is mainly known for selling trinkets, home goods, clothing, and expensive footwear like Doc Martens.
Inside the store, there’s a section called the Kirkland outlet, which features Kirkland Signature clothing, usually sold at Costco markets. Redditors have continuously discussed the shop’s possible law infractions and if Bayberry Lane has been noticed by Costco executives yet. Some commentators explained that the retail giant may know about the Canadian gift shop but might not need to get legally involved with such a minuscule enterprise.
Many speculate that including a Kirkland outlet on Prince Edward Island compensates for the fact that there isn’t a Costco store for hundreds of miles. For those unfamiliar, Prince Edward Island is both an island and province in Canada with a population under 150,000. Its primary revenue source is farming, which takes up a quarter of the province’s jobs.
The relatively remote nature of Prince Edward Island leaves it destitute of certain ubiquitous retailers like Costco. With Costco stores existing in provinces outside the island, residents had to find an alternate way to cope with a Kirkland-brand deficit. The Bayberry Lane’s inclusion of a Kirkland-outlet section brings customers a small taste of Costco’s signature clothing without traveling to the mainland.
While Bayberry Lane is receiving ample attention from Reddit users for its unique inclusion of Kirkland items, it’s most known for its gift-shop products and knick-knacks. Many who travel to Charlottetown visit the store to purchase jewelry or postcards. Bayberry Lane also combines antique and homemade goods like ceramics, rings, and necklaces for a satisfying vintage shopping experience.
