Costco Wholesale lands in Visalia ahead of new warehouse opening

Costco Wholesale flew from San Diego to Visalia on the afternoon of May 15, a 50-minute hop that put a Gulfstream G280 on the ground at Visalia Municipal Airport. The flight, operated by the membership-warehouse giant, arrives ahead of the scheduled opening of a new warehouse in North Visalia on May 21, as reported by AOL and WJHL.

The North Visalia store is one of several new locations Costco Wholesale is opening this year as part of its plan to add 30 or more warehouses annually, CEO Ron Vachris said during a March earnings call. The Visalia warehouse was originally slated to open in April but was pushed back to late May, per the same reports. The company's four-aircraft fleet often carries executives to new store openings and other corporate events.

The trip fits a pattern: Costco Wholesale has been rapidly expanding its footprint, with recent openings in Texas and Utah and a major new location in Monterrey, Mexico, opening this month. The G280's arrival in Visalia suggests final preparations are underway for the company's latest California outpost.