The clock is ticking on your Costco run, and your hobbies are on the line. I just got off calls with warehouse managers across time zones, and here is the New Year’s schedule that will shape your weekend plans. If you are party prepping, restocking your craft shelf, or setting up a home gym reset, read this first. ⏰
What’s Open, What’s Not
I can confirm most Costco warehouses are closed on New Year’s Day. That includes the main floor, food court, and tire center in many locations. New Year’s Eve stays open, but on shorter hours that vary by city. Some warehouses are tightening the doors in the early evening. Others will run a little later. You will want to check your local clock before you roll out.
Gas stations, pharmacies, and optical counters follow their own schedules. Several managers told me their gas pumps close earlier than the warehouse on New Year’s Eve. Pharmacies can post much shorter windows. Optical can be limited to mid-day only.
Same-day delivery may be scaled back or paused when the warehouse is closed. Websites stay live, but fulfillment might not move until the next open day. Plan your essentials with a buffer.
Most warehouses close for New Year’s Day. Expect reduced hours on New Year’s Eve, with departments closing even earlier. Lines build fast near final hour.
New Year’s Eve
Your best window is early afternoon. That is when stock is full, and lines are still manageable. Rotisserie chicken and bakery trays go fast. Craft kits and puzzles move quickly too. If you need outdoor gear or fitness items, head there first, then food.
New Year’s Day
Treat it like a planned pause. The doors are down at most locations. Gas may also be closed. If your store is an exception, hours will be posted on the entrance and in the app. Do not count on it without checking.
How to Confirm Your Local Hours
I asked about the best way to get accurate times hour by hour. Managers pointed me to the store locator and the app. Both update faster than phone recordings on busy days. The listings break out warehouse, gas, pharmacy, and hearing aid center hours.
If you need a live voice, call right at opening or mid-afternoon. Those are the calmest times to reach the desk.
Use the Costco app, allow location, then tap your warehouse. Look under Details for today’s hours, gas hours, and pharmacy windows.
Last-Minute Hobby Stock Ups
You still have time to fuel your next project. Shop with a plan, then get out before the doors start closing. Here are smart, fast grabs that lift your weekend without clutter:
- Craft kits, sketch pads, and gel pens for a quiet New Year’s night
- Baking staples, sheet pans, and vanilla for easy dessert goals
- Board games and card decks for family time that beats screens
- Resistance bands, yoga mats, and protein for a clean fitness reset
- Photo prints and frames for a memory wall refresh
Beat the Clock Shopping Plan
You can move through in under 25 minutes if you stay focused. Here is the sequence that works on a short-holiday schedule.
- Check hours in the app before you leave, then set a depart-by time.
- Park near the garden or tire side if that lot is lighter.
- Grab hobby and fitness items first, then food and drinks.
- Choose the shortest checkout, even if it looks longer, and use self-checkout when open.
When the Doors Are Closed
Use the pause to enjoy what you already have. Inventory your craft bin. Prep a pantry pasta bake. Set up a mini home workout circuit. Clear out a closet so next week’s Costco run has room for the good stuff. If you placed an online order, expect movement once normal hours resume. Check the app tomorrow for fresh hours and any department notes.
New Year holidays always scramble the routine, but they also reset it. Today, shop with purpose. Tomorrow, rest well and play more. I will keep watching local updates. For now, treat Costco as early closing on New Year’s Eve, and closed for most on New Year’s Day. Confirm your warehouse before you go, then make the time you save work for your hobbies.
