TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Costco is reportedly planning to stop selling books at most locations year-round.
As the New York Times first reported in June, the warehouse retailer was planning to stop stocking books regularly as of January 2025. However, sources recently told Publishers Weekly the company now plans to keep permanent book sections in about 100 of its 600 U.S. locations.
Costco did not specify which locations would keep their permanent book sections.
Even if your local warehouse is affected by the change, you may still see books pop up occasionally and during the holiday season, from September through December.
According to publishing executives who had been informed of the change by Costco, the constant stream of new books and the labor required to stock them by hand were the main reasons for the shift.
Costco locations in two states – Alaska and Hawaii – have already ditched permanent book sections.
Nexstar reached out to Costco for a statement about the change in June, but didn’t hear back. Costco also declined to comment to the New York Times and Publishers Weekly.
