Courtesy of Costco Wholesale
Check out these vintage Costco photos.
- Costco has existed in some form since 1976.
- That's because the modern-day company is the product of a 1993 merger between Costco and Price Club.
- The first warehouse bearing the name Costco, however, opened in Seattle in 1983.
- Costco provided Business Insider with historical photos of the chain's inaugural warehouse.
Costco is a staple of the big box landscape. It's been around for a while and managed to attract a devoted flock of members thanks to its low prices and bulk sizes.
But the wholesale retailer's origin story is a bit complicated. You see, modern-day Costco is actually the result of a 1993 merger between Price Club and Costco. Price Club kicked off in 1976, and Costco followed suit seven years later.
Read more: 50 foods that Costco employees and members love
Costco provided Business Insider with a number of photos of the company's first warehouse.
These images provide a glimpse into what making a Costco run would've looked like back when Ronald Reagan was in the White House and "Maniac" was topping the Billboard charts.