Costco Canada has officially confirmed that it will be opening its first-ever Business Centre in Winnipeg on Friday, March 27, 2026.

This highly anticipated addition to the city’s retail landscape will be located at 1315 St. James Street, the site of the original St. James Costco warehouse, which recently closed its doors to relocate to a massive new facility at 4077 Portage Avenue.

The St. James site has been undergoing an extensive conversion over the last several months to transform from a standard warehouse into a specialized Business Centre designed to serve a whole new demographic of the Winnipeg market.

Costco Business Centre vs. Regular Warehouse: What’s the Difference?

If you’ve never stepped foot in a Costco Business Centre, you might be wondering how it differs from the “standard” shopping experience. While your existing Gold Star or Executive membership works at both, the experience inside is quite different.

Here is a breakdown of the key differences:

  1. Product Selection (70% Unique Inventory)
    The most significant difference is the inventory. Approximately 70% of the items found in a Business Centre are not available at a regular Costco. While you’ll still find Kirkland Signature staples, the focus shifts from household goods to professional supplies.
  2. “Bulk” Re-Defined
    If you thought a 2kg bag of flour was big, wait until you see the Business Centre. You can find items like 20kg buckets of peanut butter, whole lambs, and “truckload” quantities of snacks and drinks.
  3. No Food Court
    You won’t be able to grab a $1.50 hot dog or a slice of pizza.
  4. No Free Samples
    There are no “treasure hunt” tasting stations here.
  5. No Clothing or Toys
    You won’t find the latest seasonal jackets, books, or toys.
  6. No Bakery
    You won’t find fresh-baked muffins, bagels, or cakes.
  7. Earlier Shopping Hours
    Business owners often need to restock before the workday begins. Because of this, Business Centres typically open as early as 7:00 AM but they also tend to close earlier in the evening and have shorter hours on Sundays.
  8. Delivery Services
    Unlike the regular warehouse where you haul everything home yourself, Business Centres offer a robust delivery network designed to drop orders directly at a place of business.

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