Costco Wants To Open New Store In Lake Forest

LAKE FOREST, CA — A popular warehouse retail giant wants to build its 14th Orange County store in Lake Forest.

Costco — known for offering bulk-sized goods, food samples and a $1.50 hot dog-and-drink deal — offered a glimpse into its plans in city public planning documents.

The company hopes to demolish a shuttered movie theater at the Foothill Ranch Towne Centre, situated on a 16-acre site, and replace it with a 160,811 square-foot store that includes the entertainment facility and its parking lot.

If the store is approved as suggested, it would be slightly larger than a standard Costco and include a tire center.

According to The Orange County Register, cities generally welcome Costco's being built within city limits due to the significant sales tax revenues its huge stores generate. Annual sales can exceed $250 million, the report said.

"The project is still in the early stages, but we're excited about the potential of having a Costco in Lake Forest," City spokesperson Jonathan Volzke told The OC Register.