Costco eyes Cary shopping center for new store

The Washington state-based company recently submitted a plan to the Town of Cary to build a new facility on the west corner of U.S. Highway 1/64 where the MacGregor Village shopping center already has a large customer base.

About 415,000 people live within a 10-mile radius, which includes the exclusive golf course community MacGregor Downs.

Some residents don't like the idea of the giant membership warehouse moving into their neighborhood.

"A big-box store like that does not seem to fit in the neighborhood," resident Larry Watkins said.

"I think it would be too much over there," another resident, Melissa Luihn, said.

A Costco representative said Thursday that the company has been looking to build a store in Cary – one already is in Raleigh – for years.

It has submitted a pre-application to town planners for feedback about how to proceed. The town says the company must also submit a formal site plan and that the review process is about four to five months.

Eighteen businesses make up the shopping center, including MacGregor Draft House, an occupant for 11 years.

"We're confident, if we had to move down the road and open up a new place, we'd be able to do it," the bar's manager, Jeremy Fisher, said. "Obviously, we prefer to stay here and establish ourselves in the community."

Fisher said all of the businesses have leases with Indiana-based Simon Property Group, which would handle any buyout talks.

"Ideally, we'd like to stay here, but we'll play the cards as they're dealt," he said.