City leaders in neighboring Asheville greenlight building plans for new Costco warehouse

A retail store that has been on the wish list of some Tri-Cities consumers for years is coming to nearby Asheville.

According to a story published by Blue Ridge Public Radio, City Council approved building plans for a new Costco warehouse to be constructed in the Enka section of the locality near the Smoky Park Highway.

Costco officials signaled a desire to build in the city last year but pulled out of the planning stages in February after a dispute over the expense to city zoning rules which have reportedly been relaxed in order to get the store built, which Costco said would start later this year with a projected open of Spring 2028.

A Costco executive said in a 2020 interview that the Tri-Cities region did not meet the company’s threshold of 250,000 people within a consumer trade area.

(IMAGE: Property of Pexels / Eduardo Soares)