MISSION VIEJO, Calif. – Costco Wholesale Corp is set to open its first standalone gas station in the United States in Mission Viejo, California, by late June, according to city officials, marking an expansion of the retailer’s fuel operations beyond its traditional warehouse locations.
The new facility, located at the site of a former Bed Bath & Beyond store at 25732 El Paseo, will feature a 17,185-square-foot canopy with 40 fueling positions, making it the largest gas station Costco has built to date. It will operate daily from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. and be accessible only to Costco members, who will need to provide membership information at the pumps. The station will be staffed by Costco employees. Costco’s gas stations are typically limited to members, and the standalone location follows the same model.
City officials confirmed the June opening timeline to local media in March. ABC7 Los Angeles reported that the project was approved by the city’s Planning and Transportation Commission, with construction having started in fall 2025.
The plans were first detailed in city planning documents reviewed in June 2025. According to those records, the station is expected to handle approximately 9,500 vehicles per day. C-Store Dive cited Mission Viejo spokesperson Robert Schick, who said Costco had verbally confirmed the late-June opening to the city.
The Mission Viejo project represents a shift for Costco, which has historically located its gas stations adjacent to its warehouse clubs. The standalone model allows the company to offer its discounted Kirkland Signature gasoline in high-traffic areas without tying it to a full retail store.
Costco is also planning a second standalone gas station in Honolulu, Hawaii, with completion expected in 2027, according to project developers.
Neither project includes a convenience store or additional retail space. Costco has not issued a public statement on the expansions, and the company declined to comment when contacted by several outlets.
The moves come as Costco continues to leverage its fuel business to drive membership value, typically offering prices well below local competitors. The retailer operates hundreds of gas stations nationwide, but all have previously been co-located with warehouses.
City planning documents for the Mission Viejo station are publicly available on the City of Mission Viejo website.
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