I shopped at a regular Costco and a Costco Business Center and found two completely different stores targeting different customers

Brittany Chang/Insider

• I visited a Costco and a Costco Business Center and had massively different shopping experiences.
• There are only 23 Costco Business Centers — which cater to small business owners — across the US.

I visited one of the 23 elusive Costco Business Centers in the US and was confronted with a shopping experience that felt wildly different from a traditional Costco.

Brittany Chang/Insider

Like many people across the US, I have nostalgic childhood memories of picking at Costco's free samples, riding in the oversized shopping carts, and eating a chicken bake for dinner after a long day of running errands with my parents.

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But at the Costco Business Center in Hackensack, New Jersey — the only location of its kind in the Northeast — I didn't get my beloved free samples or end-of-errand food court treat.

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Instead, I was greeted with mountains of bulk meat, tubs of condiments, and enough variety snack boxes to feed every office in New York's Financial District.

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You may be thinking, "What's the difference? My normal Costco warehouse also has these same bulk products."

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And you would be right. Costco is known as a wholesaler after all.

Costco frozen avocados      Beatrice Nolan / Insider

But after visiting the two types of stores, I learned pretty quickly that the Costco Business Center is essentially a Costco turned up to 11 with more industrial products.

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At the Business Center, many everyday products are sold in quantities so large and heavy, that shoppers have to use a platform cart instead of a traditional shopping cart.

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And I definitely didn't see that when I visited the closest Costco to my apartment in Brooklyn, New York shortly after stopping by the New Jersey Business Center.

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Over 70% of the products sold at Costco Business Centers are different from what's available in the brand's average stores, according to the wholesale giant.

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Source: Costco

The company says its Business Centers — accessible to all members — are "not just for businesses" …

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… but within the first few minutes of stepping inside the New Jersey store, it was obvious the store caters to business owners.

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To compare, the traditional Costco warehouse in Brooklyn had plenty of home goods and personal items …

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… whether it be televisions, kitchen gadgets, tech, gift cards, or supplements.

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When I go to Costco, I'm used to seeing cookware sets, a variety of bath and beauty products, and cases of locked jewelry.

Brittany Chang/Insider

But when I visited the Costco Business Center, I couldn't find most — or really any — of these items.

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Until I visited this Business Center, I had never seen a Costco that sold receipt rolls, cleaning products labeled for janitorial use …

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… and snacks for "vending and food service."

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But here, they seemed commonplace among the aisles of food service products, pounds of frozen foods, and large boxes filled with bulk disposable food containers.

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And if you're as big of a fan of Costco's free sample stands and churros as I am, you may be left disappointed during your first Costco Business Center visit.

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There was no food court, pharmacy, photo center, or bakery at this New Jersey Business Center location.

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Nor did I find any rows of clothes, home goods, books, or children's toys.

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And most importantly: no rotisserie chicken or prepared foods.

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Instead, all of these traditionally beloved sections and products were replaced with endless rows of snacks and beverages in large cardboard boxes.

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Instead of piles of pants and sweaters, there were packs of candies and salty snacks that could take a family weeks to finish.

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And say goodbye to the rows of childrens' toys and books. Here, you'll find pallets topped with boxes of sodas, energy drinks, and juices instead.

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This switch from clothes and toys to large packages of snacks and drinks is perfect for shoppers looking to restock their vending machines …

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… but maybe not for someone who's just looking to buy a few groceries and clothes.

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Granted, there were still some consistencies across the inventory.

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When I walked around the New Jersey location, I found plenty of food and household items that were also available at the regular Costco in Brooklyn.

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And many of these items were already part of my weekly or monthly shopping list.

Brittany Chang/Insider

But if you're shopping for a small household, purchasing your weekly groceries at a Costco Business Center may be difficult: The items may be similar but the quantity may likely be vastly different.

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The Business Center is all about mega-bulk products.

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Of course, wholesale-level quantities still reign supreme at an everyday Costco warehouse.

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After all, two-dozen eggs is standard at a traditional Costco.

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But 24 eggs is meager compared to the sizes available at the New Jersey location.

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The Business Center brings bulk to the extreme with packages of five-dozen eggs …

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… large buckets of soy sauce …

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… and 50-pound bag of onions, to name a few examples.

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These food items are staples in my kitchen, but 60 eggs would be an unreasonable purchase for two people who live in a New York City apartment where ample fridge space is a rare commodity.

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The traditional Costco Warehouse also sold Hellmann's beloved mayonnaise in 60-fluid-ounce jars …

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… and twin packs of 40-ounce Sweet Baby Ray's.

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Don't get me wrong: These are still pretty large jars of mayo and barbecue sauce.

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But it's nowhere near as unmanageable as Costco Business Centers' gallon container of mayonnaise …

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… and 10-pound jugs of Sweet Baby Ray's, which should be more than enough to satisfy even Mark Zuckerberg's cravings.

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Source: Insider

These glaring differences in products seemed to result in a difference in shoppers.

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When I visited the Costco warehouse in Brooklyn, I saw a loud sea of parents and children riling through the clothes, toys, and snacks.

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It was so crowded, I found myself struggling to weave between shopping carts and idle consumers.

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In comparison, the Costco Business Center felt like a meditative bliss.

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There were no crowds and I often found myself alone in the large aisles.

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I also didn't see a single child during my one-and-a-half hours of roaming around the store, an impossible sight at any regular Costco.

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Instead, most shoppers either came by themselves or with one other person.

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And judging by their shopping carts, it looked like many of them were looking to restock a professional kitchen, snack counter, or vending machine.

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Either that or this shopper just really wanted 96 boxes of Sour Patch Kids.

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While both locations had items like these large yellow and black storage bins …

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… 12-pack beef jerky snack packs …

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… food service-sized containers of foil …

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… and large bags of rice and dried beans.

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And shockingly, five-pound bags of shredded cheeses were accessible at both locations as well.

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spotting these consistencies felt more like a difficult treasure hunt than an easy task.

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Based on my experience, I wouldn't suggest visiting your nearest Costco Business Center if you're looking for piles of clothes, fresh baked treats, and rows of discounted high-definition television screens.

Brittany Chang/Insider

You'll be greeted with 45-packs of Cheez-Its and 40-pound tubs of tahini instead.

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If you work in a professional kitchen, operate a snack counter, have vending machines to refill, or plan on cooking for a fairly large gathering, the Business Center may be a great way to save money amid a time of rising food prices.

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But if you're just shopping for yourself or a small family, save your money and continue going to a regular Costco.

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You're much more likely to find reasonably sized groceries and home goods there.

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Traditional Costcos are just more convenient for everyday shoppers looking to pick up groceries, clothes, and electronics.

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And at least you can treat yourself to a Churro after.

Mary Meisenzahl/Insider

For those reasons, I probably won't go back to a Costco Business Center again. And that's okay: The store wasn't designed for consumers like me.

Brittany Chang/Insider