What was the original name of the warehouse club now known as Costco?

The warehouse club now known as Costco was originally called Price Club.

Price Club opened its first warehouse in San Diego, California, in 1976. It was founded by Sol Price and Robert Price and pioneered the membership-warehouse model, selling goods in bulk to businesses and consumers.

Costco was created when Price Club merged with Costco Wholesale in 1993. The combined company briefly operated under the name PriceCostco before adopting Costco Wholesale Corporation in 1997. A common mix-up is treating Price Club as a separate modern chain; it is the direct predecessor of Costco.

Sam’s Club, founded in 1983, was a competing warehouse retailer rather than an earlier name for Costco. Costco’s first warehouse opened in Seattle in 1983, while Price Club had already been operating in San Diego for seven years.