Rotisserie chickens, free samples and everything sold in bulk are the focus of a new student-run club on campus.
The UCLA Costco Club, founded in September, allows students to bond over their shared love for the store and aims to help them buy ingredients in bulk for their meals. The club organizes group trips to the closest Costco, which can be over a 40-minute drive from campus.
“We realized it’d be best if we can just all band together, have people with memberships and cars, go to Costco so we can buy items in bulk,” said Kathryn Chong, the club’s social media manager and a fourth-year biology student. “It just makes life easier and more enjoyable.”
Volunteer student drivers will take groups of students to and from the store, said Serenity Shadowens, the club’s president. Shadowens added that the club plans to host meal prepping classes and Costco trivia nights, along with holding food drives for students.
The club is a casual space for students to meet new people and have fun, Chong said. More than 50 students attended the club’s first meeting, which she said helped her realize how much the UCLA community needs Costco.
“I’ve been going to Costco since I was a little kid, so I have a lot of fond memories of getting to go with my family,” said Shadowens, a fourth-year neuroscience student. “It’s a great opportunity to find people that can build on those experiences with you while creating new ones.”
Students were inspired to create the club when one of the now board members suggested a group Costco trip during class, said Ashley Peterson, the club’s secretary and a fourth-year neuroscience student.
“It’s a very nice opportunity to help students that live off-campus or maybe don’t have access to Costco or aren’t really familiar with the benefits of bulk buying,” Shadowens said.
Costco appeals to college students because it offers affordable deals said Mark Gonzalez a first-year public affairs student who attended the club’s first meeting. He added that he’s excited to shop with other club members who love the $1.50 hot dog and Costco pizza.
“We are totally open to all years, all backgrounds, and whether you go to Costco all the time since you were a kid or this is your first time going to Costco or you just you just want to make new friends,” Shadowens said. “We want to emphasize creating a community and a light-hearted space where people can come after your classes and laugh and have a good time.”
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