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Posted on 07/08/2026 5:19:54 PM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum
Long-tenured workers like cashier Tony Barzar are reliable, experienced and able to speed shoppers through a checkout line. Costco is willing to pay to keep them around.
TUCSON, Ariz.—Costco COST 0.59%increase; up pointing triangle cashier Tony Barzar unloaded his lunch in the breakroom, clocked in and headed for the checkout, just as he has for much of the past four decades.
That day, like most days, 60-year-old Barzar was assigned to the self-checkout area, a cluster of six registers. At 9:02 a.m., the first shoppers were ready to ring themselves up.
“Right here, ma’am!” Barzar said, gesturing for a customer in line to move to an open register. “How ya doing today, sir? Find everything alright?” he said to another as he circled the registers with a scanning gun.
Long-tenured workers like Barzar are Costco’s secret weapon. They are reliable and experienced, able to speed shoppers through a checkout line and serve as mentors to newer workers, passing down the company’s unique culture, Costco executives say.
Barzar’s pay and benefits reflect his value to the company. He earns $32.90 an hour, and the holdings in his 401(k) have boosted his retirement savings to over $1 million, he said. His Costco-sponsored healthcare has a regular visit co-pay of $15, and a specialty visit co-pay of $25, well below the national average. In 2009, Barzar’s family bought a three-bedroom, two-bath house with a pool, and they have been able to travel to Europe twice over the past decade.
As a younger person, “I didn’t think me and my family would reach where we sit now,” he said. “I could retire, but what would I do? Costco has been good to me.”
Costco has long paid more than most U.S. retailers to help keep turnover low, a strategy the company’s founders...
(Excerpt) Read more at wsj.com ...
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With a Trump account, you can be a millionaire before age 28 with maximum contributions.
Being a millionaire these days is OK. It’ll get ya by.
Billionaires are the new millionaires.
I’ve always maxed out my 401K and 403b withdrawals. The only thing keeping me from retirement is ‘health insurance.’ I wouldn’t mind going part time at costco in retirement to get the benefits and a little extra money.
I like hearing this. Whenever I go into Costco, the people at check out are efficient and friendly. In fact, everyone I see that works there seems to really like his/her job. I love the company.
Being a millionaire these days is OK. It’ll get ya by.
Barely!
Wait til Tony has to start living off that million. Doesn’t go too far.
Now ... if Tony would’ve invested more aggressively than his Costco 401 K ... lol.
I am happy for the guy.
We see so many not willing to work. I would much rather help someone that is willing to work.
what is starting pay for a noob?
My son works on the administrative side of Costco and is able to work 3 weeks a month from home, excellent pay, healthcare and other benefits, he’s happy.
A now long-retired man works at my local Costco for just the insurance, using the same thinking you have.
He enjoys it, a lot.
Sun Valley’s ‘summer camp for billionaires’ is offering knitting classes this year — here’s why we shouldn’t be surprised
Welcome to Costco, I LOVE YOU.
It’s more than most people have in this country. Costco seems to be a great company to work for. They don’t give slave wages. It’s inspiring. all companies should do the same. It’s amazing how Costco can do it but no other companies can. And I bet the Costco CEO still makes a decent amount of money.
A Million Buck$ is a mere shadow of its former self when it had a weekly TV show.
If you expect top performance from your people pay them at the top of their scale and a little more. Never give them an excuse for not doing a great job. That applies to their pay, tools, training, co-workers, management and benefits. If you do that you will not regret having them and you will also not regret firing them and giving someone else a chance to do really good work for really good pay.
when I joined costco, my dear Father almost had a heart attack...”you’re paying a store to let you patronize it!? They should pay you!”)
for the most part, it is a very well-managed operation imho.
just return the horseradish to the $1.50 hot dogs? okay?????
oops...saurkraut!
thanks
Anyone can retire a millionaire. If you start early.
At $250 per month from age 30 to 65, you would contribute $105,000 total over 35 years. At an average 10% annual return, that could grow to about $882,000 by age 65, assuming steady investing and dividend reinvestment.
Range by return
6% return: about $293,000.
8% return: about $508,000.
10% return: about $882,000.
Add in a usual 3% employer match and your’re there.
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