MYNORTHWEST NEWS

Costco shoppers launch anti-Canadian effort

Aug 13, 2012, 5:08 AM | Updated: 6:58 am

Shoppers line up at checkout at the Blaine, Wa. Costco (Image courtesy Facebook “Bellingham C...

Shoppers line up at checkout at the Blaine, Wa. Costco (Image courtesy Facebook "Bellingham Costco needs a special time just for Americans" page)

(Image courtesy Facebook "Bellingham Costco needs a special time just for Americans" page)

It’s not exactly an international incident, but some Bellingham Costco shoppers are requesting American-only hours because they complain the warehouse is overrun by bargain-seeking Canadians.

They’ve launched a Facebook page, named “Bellingham Costco needs a special time just for Americans.”

The page complains the Canadian shoppers “can be rude. The lines are crazy. We aren’t on a vacation and have an RV to hang out in like those Canadians. We just want to go shopping, not go on an adventure. Costco used to have special opening hours for preferred customers. Why cant [sic] they do that for us loyal American customers?” the page says.

Photos on the page show cars with Canadian license plates taking up multiple parking spaces and crowding Costco gas station lines, while comments also complain about Canadians buying too much milk.

The page has received over 2,000 likes since launching in July.

The CBC reports Canucks are flocking south of the border because a strong Canadian dollar gives them more buying power.

The administrator of the page insists the page isn’t anti-Canadian, rather a protest of Bellingham zoning rules preventing the expansion of the crowded Costco.

“To our Canadian friends on here that think we hate you: You have to look at the root of the problem. Bellingham has laws that keep big box companys [sic] from expanding. The overcowding [sic] in this small slow paced town has agitated people,” it reads.

The page is sparking a heated debate playing out in the comment section.

“Boo Hoo!!! Oh you poor Americans. Funny how the Canadians” have to wait in line, and deal with the… Well Americans. No complaints from them. Your town should just ban outsiders. So the rest of the World can watch you wither,” says one comment.

“Here’s a solution for you: We’ll just stop shopping in Bellingham altogether, you’ll lose the 2-3 times larger sales tax than you were able to generate without us, and we’ll wait to see who you blame for that,” says another.

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