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DavidE
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Location: Baja California México
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Mood: 'At home we demand facts and get them. In Mexico one subsists on rumor and never demands anything.' Charles Flandrau,
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San Diego / Chula Vista Area Which COSTCO Is "Best"?
Some warehouses are hideous for parking. The others are worse.
Some warehouses have an hour wait for an electric cart for use by the disabled. Others have no problems with carts; none of them work.
Some warehouses are better run. Better stocked.
Some warehouses cater to cross border shoppers. If I wanted COSTCO Tijuana I would shop there.
How many of this area's Costco warehouses have integral Casa de Cambios? All?
Compared to ATM plus bank fees, how does the exchange rate compare?
Which one would YOU choose?
A Lot To See And A Lot To Do
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DianaT
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Posts: 10020
Registered: 12-17-2004
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We use the one on Broadway --- many of the shoppers are from south of the border as things are cheaper on the US side.
Casa de Cambio we find to be fair--- not much difference from other places and convenient. We exchange there for our trip south and then use the ATM
in Vizcaino if we need more. It is an Express Pawn and you can find the current rate on line to compare with other places. Also, they do close for
a couple of hours for lunch.
As I am on crutches right now, last week we were offered a cart as we entered---didn't use it, but it was available.
It is well stocked, usually, and stocked for their customers. We go to one in San Diego for brown rice and for a while, the one on Broadway stopped
carrying maple syrup, but it is back now.
[Edited on 10-21-2012 by DianaT]
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bajaguy
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Location: Carson City, NV/Ensenada - Baja Country Club
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Mood: must be 5 O'clock somewhere in Baja
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COSTCO Chula Vista
895 East H Street
Chula Vista, CA 91910-7807
located east of the 805 Fwy
Also close to the shopping stores (Trader Joes, Henrys, Target, Home Depot, Vons) along Eastlake Parkway, just east of the 125 Fwy.
No problem with parking. Don't know about electric carts.......stay away from any COSTCO within 15 miles of the border on Sundays.
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DENNIS
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| Quote: | Originally posted by bajaguy
895 East H Street
Chula Vista, CA 91910-7807
located east of the 805 Fwy
Also close to the shopping stores (Trader Joes, Henrys, Target, Home Depot, Vons) along Eastlake Parkway, just east of the 125 Fwy.
No problem with parking. Don't know about electric carts.......stay away from any COSTCO within 15 miles of the border on Sundays.
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By far my choice as well. The one on Broadway is a Mexican magnet. Doesn't make it bad.....just crowded with shoppers stocking up for their SOB
tienda.
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captain4tuna
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Location: Southern CA and BCS
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Mission Valley's the best I think....It's off of Friar's Road.....
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Cisco
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| Quote: | Originally posted by DavidE
Some warehouses are hideous for parking. The others are worse.
Some warehouses have an hour wait for an electric cart for use by the disabled. Others have no problems with carts; none of them work.
Some warehouses are better run. Better stocked.
Some warehouses cater to cross border shoppers. If I wanted COSTCO Tijuana I would shop there.
How many of this area's Costco warehouses have integral Casa de Cambios? All?
Compared to ATM plus bank fees, how does the exchange rate compare?
Which one would YOU choose? |
Believe the south Chula Vista store is the only one to offer a money exchange.
Might dial-up on Google for services offered. I refuse to shop at Costco.
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captain4tuna
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Money exchange only in Chula Vista......
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DianaT
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Registered: 12-17-2004
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| Quote: | Originally posted by captain4tuna
Mission Valley's the best I think....It's off of Friar's Road..... |
It is where we go for the brown rice -- fortunately, 10 pounds lasts a while.
If you go to the Broadway store, go early. The afternoon, especially after school is out, is very busy. Avoid Mondays. Even on the weekend, if we
are there when it opens, it is OK -- and as Dennis said, lots of people buying for their tiendas and restaurants south of the border. It is
interesting to see the big carts --- easy to determine, restaurant or tienda. 
[Edited on 10-21-2012 by DianaT]
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Kalypso
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Location: San Diego
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Costco Mission Valley has easy parking, but the parking lot at Fenton Parkway (in general) can be chaotic due to it's layout. Speedy cashiers at check
out, tho'.
Best kept Costco secret is their relatively new Business Center store on Convoy (old Home Depot Expo). Super easy parking and almost never very
crowded. This store caters to the (resto) trade, meaning no diapers, no lawn chairs, no clothing, books, pharmacy, etc. But it does have restaurant
quality pots, pans and utensils at rock bottom prices. The meat counter is pretty good with even better prices than their regular stores and if you
can shop on a Monday, they mark down their weekend meat specials to move 'em out...often to about $1.00/lb +/-. Down side is you've got to hit it
right for the meat bargains, and a lot of it is whole muscle meat that needs to be further broken down. But if one is stocking a freezer or throwing a
party, getting beef tenderloin for $1.50 a pound is worth having to trim and cut. (Mesa College Dr. off the 163 or 805, W to Linda Vista Rd, right, a
mile or two, on the east side of Convoy)
There is also a Costco in Southeast SD in the Gateway Center on Market, a few block east off the I-15. Alledgedly sells Mexican wine
Money exchange, as has been noted, only at Broadway Costco. Easiest time to exchange is midweek when the store is less busy
Avoid the La Mesa Costco at all costs, impossible parking, depressing store, rude employees.
Santee has good parking, generally not terribly busy and good selection.
[Edited on 10-21-2012 by Kalypso]
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DENNIS
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| Quote: | Originally posted by DianaT
It is where we go for the brown rice -- fortunately, 10 pounds lasts a while.
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How can you bypass Boney's/Henry's/Whatever the name is now on 3rd in Chula Vista for a Costco? They have all the bulk grains etc.
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DianaT
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| Quote: | Originally posted by DENNIS
| Quote: | Originally posted by DianaT
It is where we go for the brown rice -- fortunately, 10 pounds lasts a while.
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How can you bypass Boney's/Henry's/Whatever the name is now on 3rd in Chula Vista for a Costco? They have all the bulk grains etc.
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It is now Sprouts --- I guess they merged with Henry's. We do shop there, especially on fruit and veggie sale day --- talk about a parking nightmare!
But for travel to Baja the large bag of Lundberg's Organic Brown Rice from Costco is easier and it is good.
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scouse
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Best view in the world from Costco Cabo parking lot. Take your Polish dogs and drink to the east side and see the arches at Lands end.....
One would pay a fortune anywhere else.
You are who you pretend to be.
Kurt Vonnegut jnr
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DENNIS
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| Quote: | Originally posted by DianaT
It is now Sprouts --- I guess they merged with Henry's. We do shop there, especially on fruit and veggie sale day --- talk about a parking nightmare!
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You're supposed to park across the street at Albertson's and walk over. 
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David K
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Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Is the Broadway Chula Vista Costco the only one with money exchange?
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DENNIS
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 29510
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Location: Punta Banda
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| Quote: | Originally posted by David K
Is the Broadway Chula Vista Costco the only one with money exchange? |
That's what some here are saying. I've given up on Cambios for ATMs.
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DavidE
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3814
Registered: 12-1-2003
Location: Baja California México
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Mood: 'At home we demand facts and get them. In Mexico one subsists on rumor and never demands anything.' Charles Flandrau,
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Maybe You're Right Dennis
| Quote: | Originally posted by DENNIS
| Quote: | Originally posted by David K
Is the Broadway Chula Vista Costco the only one with money exchange? |
That's what some here are saying. I've given up on Cambios for ATMs. |
Cross the border with real money, pesos, then use my VISA everywhere, then recross, and get gasoline. Hey! Where's that invisible "line" hugging the
border where Magna and Premium prices are way higher? All of Tijuana? Rosarito has normal prices?
Anything new to watch for on the Tecate hwy? It's been more than 10 years! I am going to stop and score Olive Oil, no, not Popeye's girlfriend either.
A gallon otter doer. Are there signs for the near blind in Tecate centro leading to the border?
How about a place to get a ventless LPG "Blue Flame" heater?
Then it's down 94 to Otay Lakes rd. Then drizzle on over to E Street.
Worth the trip? Yeah, I guess. $1,400 worth of medicines. $900 worth of BiPAP supplies. And maybe hit some better class garage sales. Ideas about
which areas would be best? I want to score a bunch of obsolete 30 lb. LPG tanks but haha I'll bet they flapped their way southbound when the OPD tanks
were mandated.
Thanks for the tip for COSTCO restaurant supply. Mexican cookware ranks right down there with Mexican light bulbs.
A Lot To See And A Lot To Do
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DENNIS
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 29510
Registered: 9-2-2006
Location: Punta Banda
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| Quote: | Originally posted by DavidE
Anything new to watch for on the Tecate hwy? |
Just did it the other day and the road is in great shape. About a half mile [or less] of roadwork going on, but thats it.
There's a new Pemex station up near the top of the road just before you begin down Stopsign Avenue to Centro. Easy access from all directions.
Drive slow and make full stops. The cops are active on that road.
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Kalypso
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Registered: 5-17-2011
Location: San Diego
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David
I came up through the Valle de Guadalupe about 3 weeks ago to cross at Tecate. It is fairly well marked, but not US style marked. As you come down the
hill there are what seem like 110 stopsigns, when you get to the stoplight at the big intersection by the stadium there is a sign for the San Diego
crossing. You turn right and go 2 or 3 blocks. This is where it's not particularly well marked. We were doing this at night and one of my passengers
caught the little sign with an arrow for San Diego. I think we went left for a block and then right and then there was a big sign to turn left for the
line. This takes you up a hill and then in back of Asao and down. All the side streets feeding into the road have been blocked off so people can't
jump the line. I think in the daylight it's probably reasonably well marked. We found it in the dark with no difficulty, should be a lot easier during
the day
Do check out the Costco Business Center, lots of good buys and if I was furnishing a house in Baja it would be on my list of places to go to get
decent kitchenware at a reasonable cost.
[Edited on 10-22-2012 by Kalypso]
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bajaguy
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9247
Registered: 9-16-2003
Location: Carson City, NV/Ensenada - Baja Country Club
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Mood: must be 5 O'clock somewhere in Baja
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LP Heaters
Your best bet for roll around room size ventless LP heaters is Home Depot in Ensenada. I think it's against the law in California to sell them.
When will you be passing through Ensenada????.....I have your Crock-Pot.
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BajaNomad
Super Administrator
Posts: 5014
Registered: 8-1-2002
Location: San Diego, CA
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I concur on the suggestion of the Costco Business Center on Convoy for restaurant supplies. Very impressive. Make sure to check hours/days of
business though... as they're not consistent with other Costcos.
Morena Blvd location is the original Price Club location (which Costco modeled - and then bought out btw). Kudos to Sol Price.
As far as Henry's/Boney's/Sprouts merger... it's an interesting family affair... worth a read if you have any interest:
http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2011/feb/27/merger-henrys-spr...
For brown rice, I recommend Trader Joe's Jasmine rice when price/quality are both concerned. Price is no factor? Try the Brown Basmati Rice then.
And, unless someone else notes the Chula Vista H St location as having a money exchange, I believe there's only one at the Broadway location. As far
as exchange rate at the Broadway store, it's been noted to be good (and a secure location for large transactions), but not necessarily the very best
rate that can be found if that's what you want.
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