There’s a Costco open in what I think of as north San Marcos or east San Angelo or somewhere, which is to say wherever a large expanse of parking lots with scattered buildings called The Shops at Arbor Trails is to be found. The map says it’s at 4301 West William Cannon. This place is far, far from Oltorf, in other words. Delivered to our mailbox was a book of Costco coupons and a free-entry pass, so I visited the Costco as a sight-seer. It’s claimed to cover 153,000 square feet and I think I walked down every aisle. I don’t plan to return.

A plus was that on a Sunday there were at least two meat-cutters at work. In the case were good-looking cuts of meat that included boned, rolled roast loins of pork and choice strip steaks. There were free food stations offering samples throughout the food aisles. A family with several children would find bulk bargains there. I didn’t find much, but did see canned marcona almonds for the first time. The wine selection appeared to be extensive but didn’t undergo close inspection. Those who lament that Dunkin’ Donuts coffee is elusive in Austin these days will find beans at Costco.

I’m just not a natural shopper. I used to buy shoes and boots by tracing my foot and sending the result away to L.L. Bean’s, trusting that the right size would be sent. That always worked. Not since Rooster Andrews closed have I seen a display of swimsuits for sale. At Rooster’s the Speedos were on hangers. Here, there were Jantzen and Speedo suits in separate stacks, pulled up over and tacked to clear, injection-molded hollow plastic frontal half-torsos. This is ingenious, but a little off-putting, for some reason. I forget which were the Jantzen and which were the Speedo forms, but one type at a patent-pending notice stamped at the neck. One type had a belly-button depression visible through the tanksuit and the other must have been modeled on Eve, for it had none (I just had to check).

I would have bought one compact flourescent bulb, but not a lifetime supply. I would have bought some shampoo, but not a lifetime supply. I do use a lot of pens, so I did buy what some people would think of as a lifetime supply, since my favorites were in stock. This place, fine establishment that it appears to be, is just plain too large for people like me. We must be the ones who keep hardware stores and small markets in business.