Why did Costco start in the Northwest and get so big?

FromI Wonder Why...?

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Why did Costco start in the Northwest and get so big?

FromI Wonder Why...?

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Length:

5 minutes

Released:

Apr 13, 2012

Format:

Podcast episode

Description

The Northwest is home to a variety of companies that have changed how we live our lives. We spend more now on coffee thanks to Starbucks. Amazon is changing the way we read books. And another company with deep local roots has gotten many of us to buy more of everything: Costco. Read more on I Wonder Why ...?

Released:

Apr 13, 2012

Format:

Podcast episode

Titles in the series (18)

What sorts of things about the Northwest have you wondered about? Attributes you find endearing, odd, even irritating. That's what we explore in our weekly series, I Wonder Why...?

Skip carousel

Why does Seattle still care about the World's Fair?: The Seattle World’s Fair – which opened 50 years ago this weekend – was pretty small on the global scale, compared to later World’s Fairs in Montreal or Vancouver, B.C., or Seville, Spain. It would seem tiny next to the immense Exposition in Shanghai in by I Wonder Why...?
4 min listen
Why the Alaskan fishing fleet is based in Seattle: On the reality TV show “The Deadliest Catch,” you see the crew of the Northwestern enduring storms and other dangers while crab fishing in the Bering Sea in the middle of winter. You might be surprised to learn that the Northwestern and the hundreds of by I Wonder Why...?
4 min listen
Why did Costco start in the Northwest and get so big?: The Northwest is home to a variety of companies that have changed how we live our lives. We spend more now on coffee thanks to Starbucks. Amazon is changing the way we read books. And another company with deep local roots has gotten many of us to buy more by I Wonder Why...?
5 min listen
Why do we tint our windows in the rainy NW?: You pull up to a stop light, look over and the windows on the SUV next to you are so dark you can’t see in. Why are we hiding behind tinted automobile windows here in the Pacific Northwest? Read more on I Wonder Why ... ? by I Wonder Why...?
4 min listen
Did Jesus Christ make Seattle under protest?: You might say Jesus Christ Made Seattle Under Protest. Or, Jesus Christ Made Seattle Under Pressure. Either way, this provocative statement is a big help when you’re trying to get around downtown Seattle. It’s a mnemonic device, a sentence that helps you by I Wonder Why...?
4 min listen
Why is the 'Boeing Bust' still with us?: Maybe you’ve heard the line, "Will the last person leaving Seattle turn out the lights." That well-worn phrase came from a billboard in 1971 as the Boeing Company stalled and then fell into a tailspin. And while the "Boeing Bust" happened a long time ago, by I Wonder Why...?
4 min listen
Why are we such gear freaks in the NW?: In the Pacific Northwest, we know that yoga pants, polar fleece and hiking shoes are great for grocery shopping. But when we head into the great outdoors, we love to pile on the high-tech gear. Sure, the weather here demands a certain level of protection by I Wonder Why...?
4 min listen
Why can't you see the animals at Woodland Park Zoo?: Have you ever been to Seattle’s Woodland Park Zoo and had a difficult time seeing the animals through all of the trees and plants? Well, it’s supposed to be that way. It’s all by design. The naturalistic animal exhibit was born in Seattle at Woodland Park by I Wonder Why...?
6 min listen
Why do so many park the wrong way in Seattle?: I just moved here from Chicago, and there’s one thing that has been bugging me – the way people park. In some ways, Seattleites seem to really follow the rules. People don’t jaywalk, for instance. So why do so many people park on the wrong side of the by I Wonder Why...?
5 min listen
Why are there so many serial killers in the Northwest?: From Ted Bundy to Gary Ridgway, some of the most notorious murderers in our nation’s history committed their crimes in the Northwest. While we may not have the most serial killers, we’ve certainly got that reputation. And that got us to wondering: Why are by I Wonder Why...?
5 min listen
Why is "Louie Louie" Washington's theme song?: In the 1980’s, the Washington State Legislature considered making it the official state song. The measure failed, but “Louie Louie” is still listed on government websites as the “unofficial” state rock song. Sure it’s got a good beat and it’s easy to by I Wonder Why...?
6 min listen
Why are Seattleites averse to stepping out in style?: Do most of the clothes in your closet range from hiking fleece to dress fleece, or some variations of plaid and jeans? That’s probably what has fueled Seattle’s reputation as an unfashionable city. Overdressing – something that’s just not possible in many by I Wonder Why...?
4 min listen
Why does Seattle have so few kids and so many dogs?: Here’s an odd fact: Seattle’s dog population is estimated to be around 140,000 and climbing. The number of kids? … 93,000 and dropping. Seattle’s not such a bad place to raise kids, but based on the 2010 census, roughly 15 percent of our population is 18 by I Wonder Why...?
5 min listen
Why Tacoma owes its slogan to a ‘crazy person’: Tacoma has been known as the “City of Destiny” for more than 140 years. And while the city’s slogan is unique because it has lasted for so long (when was the last time you heard Seattle referred to as “Jet City?”), it also comes from a 19 Century “crazy by I Wonder Why...?
4 min listen
I Wonder Why ... Reaction to 'Why is Seattle such a white city?': Race can be a volatile subject. Still, judging from the reaction to a recent "I Wonder Why ... ?" story, it’s something people are eager to talk about. Charla Bear’s story explored why Seattle is one of the whitest big cities in the country, whiter than by I Wonder Why...?
3 min listen
How did the 'City of Destiny' lose out to Seattle?: (This is the second installment of a 2-part series about Tacoma’s designation as the City of Destiny .) Why didn’t Tacoma become the premiere city on Puget Sound? How did the City of Destiny lose out to Seattle? Back in 1873, it looked like Tacoma would by I Wonder Why...?
6 min listen
Why doesn't that part of Washington belong to Canada?: There’s a tiny part of Washington state that is so remote you have to cross an international border twice to get there. Isolated, surrounded by water and Canadians … why did Point Roberts become a part of Washington and not Canada? Read more on 'I Wonder by I Wonder Why...?
5 min listen
Remembering True Crime Author Ann Rule: Friends and fans are remembering true-crime author Ann Rule as a prolific writer, a tireless advocate for victims and an expert about enforcement and crime investigation. Rule died Sunday at the age of 83. KPLU’s Kirsten Kendrick interviewed Ann Rule by I Wonder Why...?
3 min listen

More Episodes from I Wonder Why...?

Skip carousel

Remembering True Crime Author Ann Rule: Friends and fans are remembering true-crime author Ann Rule as a prolific writer, a tireless advocate for victims and an expert about enforcement and crime investigation. Rule died Sunday at the age of 83. KPLU’s Kirsten Kendrick interviewed Ann Rule by I Wonder Why...?
3 min listen
Why doesn't that part of Washington belong to Canada?: There’s a tiny part of Washington state that is so remote you have to cross an international border twice to get there. Isolated, surrounded by water and Canadians … why did Point Roberts become a part of Washington and not Canada? Read more on 'I Wonder by I Wonder Why...?
5 min listen
Why are Seattleites averse to stepping out in style?: Do most of the clothes in your closet range from hiking fleece to dress fleece, or some variations of plaid and jeans? That’s probably what has fueled Seattle’s reputation as an unfashionable city. Overdressing – something that’s just not possible in many by I Wonder Why...?
4 min listen
How did the 'City of Destiny' lose out to Seattle?: (This is the second installment of a 2-part series about Tacoma’s designation as the City of Destiny .) Why didn’t Tacoma become the premiere city on Puget Sound? How did the City of Destiny lose out to Seattle? Back in 1873, it looked like Tacoma would by I Wonder Why...?
6 min listen
Why Tacoma owes its slogan to a ‘crazy person’: Tacoma has been known as the “City of Destiny” for more than 140 years. And while the city’s slogan is unique because it has lasted for so long (when was the last time you heard Seattle referred to as “Jet City?”), it also comes from a 19 Century “crazy by I Wonder Why...?
4 min listen
Why does Seattle have so few kids and so many dogs?: Here’s an odd fact: Seattle’s dog population is estimated to be around 140,000 and climbing. The number of kids? … 93,000 and dropping. Seattle’s not such a bad place to raise kids, but based on the 2010 census, roughly 15 percent of our population is 18 by I Wonder Why...?
5 min listen
Why is "Louie Louie" Washington's theme song?: In the 1980’s, the Washington State Legislature considered making it the official state song. The measure failed, but “Louie Louie” is still listed on government websites as the “unofficial” state rock song. Sure it’s got a good beat and it’s easy to by I Wonder Why...?
6 min listen
I Wonder Why ... Reaction to 'Why is Seattle such a white city?': Race can be a volatile subject. Still, judging from the reaction to a recent "I Wonder Why ... ?" story, it’s something people are eager to talk about. Charla Bear’s story explored why Seattle is one of the whitest big cities in the country, whiter than by I Wonder Why...?
3 min listen
Why do so many park the wrong way in Seattle?: I just moved here from Chicago, and there’s one thing that has been bugging me – the way people park. In some ways, Seattleites seem to really follow the rules. People don’t jaywalk, for instance. So why do so many people park on the wrong side of the by I Wonder Why...?
5 min listen
Why are there so many serial killers in the Northwest?: From Ted Bundy to Gary Ridgway, some of the most notorious murderers in our nation’s history committed their crimes in the Northwest. While we may not have the most serial killers, we’ve certainly got that reputation. And that got us to wondering: Why are by I Wonder Why...?
5 min listen
Why are we such gear freaks in the NW?: In the Pacific Northwest, we know that yoga pants, polar fleece and hiking shoes are great for grocery shopping. But when we head into the great outdoors, we love to pile on the high-tech gear. Sure, the weather here demands a certain level of protection by I Wonder Why...?
4 min listen
Why can't you see the animals at Woodland Park Zoo?: Have you ever been to Seattle’s Woodland Park Zoo and had a difficult time seeing the animals through all of the trees and plants? Well, it’s supposed to be that way. It’s all by design. The naturalistic animal exhibit was born in Seattle at Woodland Park by I Wonder Why...?
6 min listen
Why is the 'Boeing Bust' still with us?: Maybe you’ve heard the line, "Will the last person leaving Seattle turn out the lights." That well-worn phrase came from a billboard in 1971 as the Boeing Company stalled and then fell into a tailspin. And while the "Boeing Bust" happened a long time ago, by I Wonder Why...?
4 min listen
Why the Alaskan fishing fleet is based in Seattle: On the reality TV show “The Deadliest Catch,” you see the crew of the Northwestern enduring storms and other dangers while crab fishing in the Bering Sea in the middle of winter. You might be surprised to learn that the Northwestern and the hundreds of by I Wonder Why...?
4 min listen
Did Jesus Christ make Seattle under protest?: You might say Jesus Christ Made Seattle Under Protest. Or, Jesus Christ Made Seattle Under Pressure. Either way, this provocative statement is a big help when you’re trying to get around downtown Seattle. It’s a mnemonic device, a sentence that helps you by I Wonder Why...?
4 min listen
Why does Seattle still care about the World's Fair?: The Seattle World’s Fair – which opened 50 years ago this weekend – was pretty small on the global scale, compared to later World’s Fairs in Montreal or Vancouver, B.C., or Seville, Spain. It would seem tiny next to the immense Exposition in Shanghai in by I Wonder Why...?
4 min listen
Why do we tint our windows in the rainy NW?: You pull up to a stop light, look over and the windows on the SUV next to you are so dark you can’t see in. Why are we hiding behind tinted automobile windows here in the Pacific Northwest? Read more on I Wonder Why ... ? by I Wonder Why...?
4 min listen

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Why did Costco start in the Northwest and get so big?

Why did Costco start in the Northwest and get so big?

Description

Titles in the series (18)

More Episodes from I Wonder Why...?

Related podcast episodes