Fast facts

• Costco is in 14 different countries including Canada, the United Kingdom, Mexico, South Korea, Australia, Japan, Taiwan, China, Spain, Portugal, France, Iceland, New Zealand, and Sweden.
• It has ~127.9 million members and a revenue of $237.7 billion.
• It has ~310,000 employees worldwide.
• It’s headquartered in Issaquah. You can see open positions on its website.

The beginnings

Modern day + innovation

We’re special, though

• Pioneer Square Holiday Market | Friday, Dec. 8-Saturday, Dec. 9 | Times vary | Occidental Square, 117 S. Washington St., Seattle | Free | Get holiday shopping done, grab some free cocoa, and then take a whirl on the pop-up skating rink.
• Holiday Coffee Cupping | Friday, Dec. 8 | 10-11 a.m. | Caffe Vita at KEXP, 472 First Ave. N., Seattle | Free | Learn from serious coffee pros while tasting a variety of holiday roasts.

• Punk Rock Flea Market | Saturday, Dec. 9-Sunday, Dec. 10 | Times vary | Nii Modo, 1404 Third Ave., Seattle | $1 | Shop for rockin’ gifts while listening to beats and sampling booze.
• “Land of Sweets: The Burlesque Nutcracker” | Saturday, Dec. 9-Thursday, Dec. 28 | Times vary | The Triple Door, 216 Union St., Seattle | $70-$95 | If you’re more into bawdy takes on the twinkle-toe tale with fun costumes, this is the show for you.

• Wool Snowball Pom-Pom Garland Workshops | Sunday, Dec. 10 | 11:45 a.m.-4 p.m. | The Silver Studio, 5264 39th Ave. S., Seattle | $70 | Make cute winter decorations by learning how to make a pom-pom and chain stitch.
• Fresh Sausage Making with Chef Seamus Platt | Sunday, Dec. 10 | 1-3 p.m. | The Shambles, 7777 15th Ave NE, Seattle | $150 | Learn how to grind, cut, and stuff two varieties of sausages from the chef of Norcino Salumi.

• Boating 101 | Monday, Dec. 11-Tuesday, Dec. 19 | 4:30-6:30 p.m. | Fisherman’s Terminal, 3919 18th Ave. W., Seattle | $60 | In this course, attendees will learn how to maintain a heading, use nautical terminology, interact with boats + waves, and read basic signage.

• Don’t stop believin’ —rock ‘n’ roll legends Journey, Def Leppard, and Cheap Trick will be playing a show together at T-Mobile Park on Sept. 4, 2024. Tickets go on sale Thursday, Dec. 14, for Mariners season ticket-holders and Friday, Dec. 15, at 10 a.m. for others.

• Amtrak has extended its pause of Seattle-Portland train service through Saturday morning after a second landslide affected the route. Trains between Seattle and Vancouver are still operating as normal. (KING 5)

• King County will be allocating $3 million to fund 100 hotel rooms until June for those seeking asylum from violence in Venezuela, Angola, or Congo. The money is meant to assist hundreds who have been sheltering at Riverton Methodist Church in Tukwila. (Seattle Times)

• After 14 years in business, the popular Rancho Bravo location in Capitol Hill is closing. Another Mexican restaurant called Teto’s Cantina will take its place at 1001 E. Pine St. soon. You can still grab a meal at Rancho Bravo before the new place debuts. (Capitol Hill Seattle)

• It seems that our energy levels aren’t the only things slowing down this fall. Home prices have remained pretty flat and few homes have hit the market over the last month. The supply of homes is expected to remain low as we enter the holiday season. (Seattle Times)

• State legislators are considering a request to lower the state of concern for gray wolves from “endangered” to “sensitive” now that there’s been an increase in their population over the past 40+ years. The Washington population has seen a ~20% annual increase since 2008. (KIRO News Radio)

• ICYMI, Santa is visiting the Space Needle each weekend in December. Sit with jolly St. Nick in his one-of-a-kind crystal sleigh before venturing out onto the world’s first and only revolving glass floor to snap a photo with the city literally at your feet. (Read: the ultimate holiday photo op). Grab tickets.*

• Take care of all of your holiday shopping at once at the Seattle Restored Winter Market, happening Saturday, Dec. 9, 12-6 p.m. at 5th + Pike. With 24+ local makers selling unique finds, you’ll be able to find something special for everyone. Entry is free, but an RSVP is encouraged. Happy shopping, Seattle.*

• As we age, our hormone levels decline, affecting bone density, sleep, libido, and more. Test + optimize your hormones with Wellcore’s At-Home Assessment Kit — only $79 with code NEWYOU.*

🌃 For the ones who want a night out on the town

• Check out the marquees at local theaters like SIFF Cinema, Ark Lodge Cinemas, or the Northwest Film Forum for some out-of-the-box movies.

🌲 If you love the great outdoors

• Don’t let cool weather chill the heat between you — hop in a hot tub boat on Lake Union for some steamy (but PG, please) fun.