Costco is resuming normal shopping hours May 4, but masks are mandatory attire

(Image credit: Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images)

published 30 April 2020

If you are looking for a return to normalcy — and who isn't? — Costco has you half-covered. The company announced Wednesday that most of its warehouse stores and gas stations will return to normal operating hours starting Monday, May 4, with just a few changes. Most prominently, members and employees will be required to wear face masks or other facial coverings; children 2 and under and people with certain medical conditions will be exempted.

"The use of a mask or face covering should not be seen as a substitute for social distancing," Costco said in a statement. "Please continue to observe rules regarding appropriate distancing while on Costco premises."

The stores will also be restricted to members 60 and older and those with disabilities from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m., and health care workers, EMTs, police officers, and other first responders will be given priority access during all open hours. So things won't be completely back to normal — don't count on the giant packages of toilet paper being back in stock, for example — but it's a step.

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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.