Prescott Costco to require face coverings as of May 4

PRESCOTT, Ariz. - Beginning Monday, May 4, the Prescott Costco wholesale warehouse, 3911 Highway 69, will require all of its members, guests and employees to wear face coverings as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

A small sign outside the store’s front entrance on April 29 revealed the news as folks walked into the store.

“Members without face coverings will not be permitted inside the warehouse,” the signage added. “We appreciate your cooperation.”

Costco member Linda Harkness, who was eating a hot dog with a friend outside the front entrance in the early afternoon of the 29th, wore a facemask to the store.

“Everybody’s just going to make themselves feel comfortable with what they feel safe with,” Harkness said. “It’s so variable depending on the store you’re going into. I think it [depends on] the clientele.”

As Kacy Magnett walked into Costco, she said she would have a hard time wearing a mask.

“I’m not coming if I have to wear a mask,” she added.

Others said that they wouldn’t have a problem donning a facemask or another facial covering. Still others felt it shouldn’t be a requirement.

“I don’t think it’s right, but I know that you’ve got to protect everyone around that are sick and elderly, like myself, they have immune system problems, they might have it,” member Linda Brooke said. “But we live in Prescott, Arizona. There’s only a few people here, and the heat’s here, so we’re doing fine.”

The Daily Courier reached out to Costco’s corporate offices for comments and was told “Costco is not staffed to respond individually to these questions; our focus is to have merchandise available for our members at low warehouse prices.”