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Guilford Chamber Board Hears from Costco

A request from Costco to have the Guilford Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors hear its plans for bringing a Costco to town was honored last week, confirmed the Chamber board's president, Renee Pallenberg.

Pallenberg said the majority of the Chamber board was in attendance at the July 28 Costco presentation, which took place in Guilford. Pallenberg said the meeting was information-only.

"The only conclusion was that we asked they come back and present to our entire Chamber membership," Pallenberg said.

She said the Costco representatives agreed to do so. As of press time, plans were being made for a meeting to take place in August.

The wholesale club seeks to build a 150,000-square-foot retail center off Exit 57 along I-95 on the site of the Rockpile development space. Some Guilford merchants have expressed worries that Costco could negatively impact smaller retail businesses that are already doing business here.

Also, the town would need to amend current zoning regulations to allow Costco's "big box" retail design to be built here, making the matter a political hot potato. Pallenberg said the Chamber's position in such cases is always to "try to remain neutral…unless it negatively affects our members. If so, we might be forced to take a position."

Pallenberg said the Chamber needs to balance supporting its membership at large with promoting business in Guilford.

"Costco asked to present to us to make sure the board of the Chamber had all the facts about what they are proposing to do. They did not ask for our support, nor did we give any," she said.