Costco, known for taking care of its workers, is hiring 300-350 people at its Daytona store

DAYTONA BEACH − Costco, a company known for providing good wages and generous benefits for employees, is looking for workers to staff its much anticipated Costco Wholesale store nearing completion at One Daytona.

Roxanne Ribakoff, the president of One Daytona told the News-Journal that Costco is looking to hire between 300 and 350 employees. The minimum starting pay is $18.50 an hour plus benefits, according to store general manager Donna Clinger.

The store will be the national membership club chain's first location in Volusia County when it opens on the morning of Feb. 22.

The giant chain has already opened a temporary hiring and membership sales office at the Shoppes at One Daytona at 1808 W. International Speedway Blvd., Suite 102A, Daytona Beach (in the storefront space where T-Mobile used to be).

ZipRecruiter and other employment websites currently show a wide range of jobs Costco is hiring to fill in Daytona Beach.

They include customer service associates/cashiers, cashier assistants, stockers, bakers, meat cutters, meat wrappers, service deli clerks, pharmacy technicians and pharmacy assistants, licensed opticians, hearing aid specialists, receiving clerks, warehouse workers, and tire installers.

Here are more things The Daytona Beach News-Journal has learned about the new Costco store at One Daytona:

No enhanced amenity fee? What does that mean?

The NASCAR-owned entertainment/retail complex across from Daytona International Speedway won't charge customers a 1% enhanced amenity fee, which is a first for the complex.

"Costco is a little unique. They're going to maintain and repair their own property," confirmed Ribakoff. "Because of that, they will not be participating in the EAF (enhanced amenity fee) program."

Other tenants at One Daytona charge customers the enhanced amenity fee to help offset the center's infrastructure costs as well as costs to maintain its buildings and common areas.

Amenity fees are typical for newer shopping centers. Locally, stores at Tanger Outlets in Daytona Beach and The Pavilion at Port Orange also charge customers the 1% extra fee, which often goes unnoticed by customers. At Tanger, the fee is called a "public user fee." At The Pavilion, it's called a "public infrastructure fee."

An opening time has been set

Costco will officially open its doors to the public at 8 a.m. on Thursday, Feb. 22, but not before the Daytona Regional Chamber of Commerce has an opportunity to welcome the Issaquah, Washington-based chain to Volusia County.

"We're going to be doing a ribbon-cutting at 7:30 a.m. that morning prior to the opening of Costco at 8 a.m.," confirmed Nancy Keefer, the chamber's CEO.

An assistant general manager for the new Costco store at One Daytona left a voicemail message with The News-Journal on Wednesday evening confirming the time of the ribbon-cutting on Feb. 22. She added that members could possibly start checking out the new store a few minutes before the official 8 a.m. opening time.

"On opening day, 7:30 is our ribbon-cutting and after that we will allow our members to come in and shop," said Tamika Barbel.

How much are memberships?

Gold Star memberships to Costco, which include two membership cards, cost $60 a year. Executive members, which offer more perks and also include two membership cards, cost $120 a year.

While memberships can be purchased online, Ribakoff encourages locals to buy the memberships in person at the temporary sales/hiring office at the Shoppes at One Daytona.

Memberships sold there between now and Feb. 22 count toward the total opening day numbers for the Daytona Beach location whereas memberships purchased online via Costco's website do not.

"We're hoping to set an opening day record," said Ribakoff.

The Costco store at One Daytona will be huge

The 161,774-square-foot Costco store, directly west of CMX Daytona 12 Luxury Theatres, will be the biggest tenant at the NASCAR-owned entertainment/retail center across from Daytona International Speedway. Currently, the biggest tenant is the 67,068-square-foot Bass Pro Shoppes.

It will include a separate members-only Costco gas station with 24 fuel pumps.

It will offer a storefront design that's 'unique' for the chain

The storefront exterior for the Costco store at One Daytona sports a checkerboard pattern, unlike the chain's other locations.

Ribakoff described it as "a nod to the partnership with NASCAR and One Daytona."

How does it compare with its chief rivals?

The Sam's Club that opened in 2019 next to the Interstate 95/LPGA Boulevard interchange is 140,000 square feet. The BJ's Wholesale Club store that opened in 2013 in Port Orange is 85,000 square feet.

They will carry some goods specific to the Daytona market

Ribakoff said Costco is looking to offer a product selection that will include some goods "that cater to the community."

"They've already gotten in touch with myself and other people to talk about products that would be great for this community, everything from apparel to snacks," she said.

Costco is also looking to give back

The new membership warehouse club store will donate 1% of the profits it generates to local nonprofits and schools, said Ribakoff. "They are now looking for (nonprofit) partners," she said, adding especially those involved with the national Feeding America network of food banks.

It offers low, but not necessarily the cheapest prices

Costco like its rivals Sam's Club and BJ's Wholesale are membership warehouse club chains that offer memberships goods at low prices because they sell products in bulk.

However, the objective for Costco has never been to be the place that carries the cheapest goods.

In an interview in the early 2000s, Costco's co-founders, the late chairman Jeff Brotman and the now-retired CEO Jim Sinegal, explained the concept for the chain in an interview with the King County Journal newspaper in the Seattle, Washington area where Costco is based. The goal, they said, is not to offer cheap products, which may be inferior in quality, but rather quality products at the lowest possible prices.

They explained that they viewed themselves as curators who continually seek out the best quality products to carry that can still be offered at competitive prices.

Some of the goods Costco carries, in addition to name brands, are sold under its own Kirkland Signature private label brand. Kirkland, Washington, is where the chain was based before moving its headquarters to its current location in Issaquah.

Costco stores are also known for having a "treasure hunt" aspect in that some items will be available at super low prices, but only in limited quantities for a limited time.

It also gives Volusia County another lower-price gas option

Costco is known for its competitive gas prices. On Wednesday, the gas price-tracking app GasBuddy showed the price of regular gasoline at the Costco near World Golf Village in St. Augustine at $2.85 a gallon, tied with the neighboring Buc-ee's mega gas station as offering the cheapest prices in St. Johns County.

In Daytona Beach, the Buc-ee's and neighboring members-only Sam's Club gas station next to the Interstate 95/LPGA Boulevard interchange are typically among the cheapest for fuel in Volusia County.

What is One Daytona?

One Daytona is an entertainment/retail complex that NASCAR developed and owns to serve as a complement to the Speedway, which it also owns, across the street. The goal is for the two properties to serve as a combined year-round destination for entertainment, shopping and dining, as well as sporting and special events, that can attract both locals and visitors.

NASCAR to date has invested more than $100 million to develop One Daytona as well as to revamp the older retail center it also owns next door called The Shoppes at One Daytona.

The City of Daytona Beach and Volusia County also ponied up $40 million in taxpayer money to help pay for infrastructure costs such as the creation of new roads, the laying of water, sewer and utility lines, and the installation of new electronic signage.

One Daytona still has room to grow with only 77 of its approximately 190 acres having been developed to date. Ribakoff said the hope is that Costco can become a catalyst for developing future phases of the complex on the vacant land NASCAR owns to the north, which extends all the way to Dunn Avenue.

What people are saying

"I've been in communities that have had Costcos. They're going to be a welcome addition to Daytona Beach. They've got a lot of brand loyalty and they've got a great following." − Nancy Keefer, CEO, Daytona Regional Chamber of Commerce

"There are things to like about all three chains (Costco, Sam's and BJ's), but I personally like Costco the best. The quality of the goods they carry is so much better in most cases." − Daytona Beach City Commissioner Stacy Cantu (who added that she intends to keep her Sam's Club membership as well as buying one for Costco)

This story has been updated to correct the starting pay of new workers at the Costco Wholesale store. It is $18.50 per hour, not $17.50 per hour.

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: SURPRISE! Costco to forgo amenity fee at One Daytona. Here's why.