Costco Opens New Warehouse Store in Lawrence

The 166,000-square-foot facility at 6200 Mercato Dr. marks the company's fourth location in Kansas.

Updated on Oct. 29, 2026 in Retail

Costco Opens New Warehouse Store in Lawrence

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Costco officially opened its latest warehouse store in Lawrence, Kansas, bringing the retailer's total U.S. presence to 651 locations. The new store serves as the fourth Kansas branch and is expected to attract 4,000 customers per day.

Why it matters

The opening significantly reduces travel times for local residents who previously had to drive 38 miles to Lenexa or 42 miles to Overland Park to access the warehouse retailer. The store creates 225 new jobs for the local community.

The new 166,000-square-foot facility is part of a 944-store global portfolio. It officially employs 225 people to manage daily operations for an estimated 4,000 shoppers.

The players

Costco

Costco is a multinational corporation that operates a chain of membership-only warehouse clubs.

The details

The facility features a variety of departments including a gas station, tire center, pharmacy, optical center, and food court. Shoppers arrived in lines ahead of the store's opening to access the new warehouse's full inventory, which includes beer sales and a bakery.

Timeline

  1. October 29, 2026: Costco opened its new Lawrence store.

Market Landscape

This opening follows the established retail warehouse club expansion model used to capture regional market share. The Lawrence location marks a strategic move to penetrate deeper into the Kansas market, positioning the brand closer to suburban populations.

Residents can now shop locally without the need for an hour-long commute to neighboring cities for warehouse-sized quantities. The store offers standard weekday hours from 10 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., with weekend hours starting at 9:30 a.m. on Saturdays and 10 a.m. on Sundays.

The takeaway

Local shoppers should plan their visits for off-peak hours to avoid potential crowds as the new store settles into its operational routine. Maintaining a membership will now offer more convenience for Lawrence residents compared to previous travel requirements.

Further reading

Learn more about local growth by visiting our Retail section.

Source note: This article includes information reported by LJWorld.

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