Camping out at Costco? Fans plan to get to West Auckland early ahead of opening day TOMORROW
Keen shoppers have planned to drive and fly from outside Auckland to be there when the doors open at the American superstore on Gunton Drive in Westgate, northwest Auckland.
The store will open at 8am tomorrow after bad weather and Covid delayed the opening day by more than a month.
On the Costco NZ Fans Facebook page dozens of the nearly 80K members have said they have taken the day off work and some say they will camp overnight to beat the queue.
One woman said she was flying from the lower North Island to be there for opening day.
Some had birthdays on opening day and said shopping at Costco was a perfect celebration.
One had a store map and spreadsheet printed of the goods they wanted to check out.
Others said they would wait until the opening day excitement had died down before visiting the store.
Fan page co-creator and self-confessed Costco superfan Jen Davenport was meeting other administrators of the page for the first time on opening day.
"We will be there early and in the t-shirts we have just had printed," Davenport said.
"I have been to opening days before so I know how busy it will be - It is going to be controlled mayhem."
Davenport had heard of people camping out at other openings using the Costco trolleys to lie on.
"Have you seen the trolleys? They are huge so they are perfect for that," she said.
Those spoken to by the Herald said they were going to such an effort because of the different brands Costco was bringing to New Zealand.
They were also just excited to be doing something after two years of Covid restrictions.
Thousands of people are expected to visit the store during opening week with many arranging ride shares through social media pages.
Costco NZ is well prepared with 800 permanent carparks and an additional 500
temporary carparks leased for four weeks from nearby Wilson parking.
Plenty of staff would be on hand to show customers around the store. Costco NZ had employed more than 300 people for the large warehouse - including three dozen previously unemployed locals.
Electronic signs had been placed on the Northwestern Motorway exits near the store to warn of traffic delays.
But the official Traffic Management Plan was not ready to be shared with the media after an amendment according to Auckland Transport.
"What we can tell you now is that the TMP was designed by Parallaxx and is then approved by ASM and AT - in consultation with NZ Police," an AT spokeswoman said.
"Advertisements were placed in the Herald by Costco as well as across social media to notify people of the likely impacts. Costco also worked with local businesses, the local board, and local business associations."
A mini–Incident Management Team will be on-hand tomorrow, which will be led by Auckland Transport to oversee the opening in real-time and adjust things on the network as needed.
The owner of nearby Mitre 10 said he was expecting a busy day but understood Costco NZ was well prepared with comprehensive traffic management and a parking plan.
Dave Hargreaves said his relationship with Costco NZ in the past 18 months had been positive with plenty of updates and information.
"They have plenty of parking and have leased 500 more spots so will have 1300 parks for the next four weeks.
"We are expecting the traffic to be busy but our staff have their own car parks so that won't be an issue."
In an Instagram post, Costco NZ said a temporary traffic system would allow traffic to flow one-way into Gunton Drive where there would be access to overflow parking.
Exit would be one-way via Kakano Rd or Northside Drive.
Mitre 10 and other retailers near Costco had put up extra signs to let shoppers know which carparks were for their customers only.
Hargreaves was looking forward to a positive ongoing relationship with the superstore.
He believed the businesses were complementary rather than in competition.
"We are happy to have Costco as a neighbour and you will definitely see some orange shirts shopping in there," he said.
"Our staff will go there for lunch sometimes and I have a card so will be shopping there."
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Poll: 🤖 What skills do you think give a CV the ultimate edge in a robot-filled workplace?
The Reserve Bank has shared some pretty blunt advice: there’s no such thing as a “safe” job anymore 🛟😑
Robots are stepping into repetitive roles in factories, plants and warehouses. AI is taking care of the admin tasks that once filled many mid-level office jobs.
We want to know: As the world evolves, what skills do you think give a CV the ultimate edge in a robot-filled workplace?
Want to read more? The Press has you covered!
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52.2% Human-centred experience and communication
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15% Critical thinking
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29.9% Resilience and adaptability
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2.9% Other - I will share below!
The Gospel’s Relevance Today**
The Gospel, meaning ‘good news’, is the cornerstone of the message contained in the Bible’s first four books—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. While these records were written approximately 2,000 years ago, a natural question arises: why is this Gospel still relevant and vital for us today? This analysis seeks to explore what the Bible itself defines as the Gospel and to understand its enduring significance.
**Defining the Gospel: Core Biblical References**
The Gospel is not a vague concept; Scripture provides clear descriptions of its content and focus.
* **The Gospel of the Kingdom:** In Matthew 4:23, as Jesus begins his ministry, he is described as “preaching the gospel of the kingdom.” This immediately establishes that the good news is centrally about a kingdom—the Kingdom of God. His accompanying miracles served to validate the authority of this message.
* **The Gospel of Jesus Christ:** Mark 1:1 opens with, “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” Here, “Christ” is a title meaning ‘anointed one’. Thus, the good news is intrinsically about Jesus: his identity as the Anointed One and his unique status as the Son of God.
* **The Gospel of God’s Grace:** In Acts 20:24, the Apostle Paul speaks of his mission to “testify the gospel of the grace of God.” Grace signifies an undeserved gift. This reveals that the Gospel involves a gift from God, offered not because it is merited, but out of His benevolence.
* **The Gospel of Salvation and Peace:** Romans 1:16 declares the Gospel is “the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes,” breaking down barriers between Jew and Gentile (Greek). Furthermore, Romans 10:15 calls it the “gospel of peace,” pointing to a future state of peace brought about by this message.
* **The Gospel Summarised:** 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 provides a foundational summary. Paul reminds believers of the gospel he preached, “by which also you are saved.” He then states its core historical facts: “that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.” The Gospel is therefore rooted in the sacrificial death and resurrection of Jesus.
In synthesis, the Gospel is the good news of **salvation and future peace in the Kingdom of God**, made possible by **the grace of God** and **the obedient sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ**, and offered to all who believe.
**Old Testament Foundations: The Gospel Preached to Abraham**
A crucial question is whether the Gospel is confined to the New Testament. Scripture shows its foundations were laid much earlier. Galatians 3:8 states explicitly that “the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, ‘In you all the nations shall be blessed.’”
This reference points back to Genesis 12:1-3, where God made profound promises to Abraham: to make him a great nation, to bless those who blessed him, and that “in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” These promises—later reaffirmed to Isaac and Jacob—form the bedrock of the Gospel hope. The good news of salvation through Christ is the fulfillment of how **all nations** would be blessed through Abraham’s “seed.”
**The Gospel’s Personal Relevance: Good News for You Today**
How does this ancient message become “good news for you” today? The application is clearly outlined in Galatians 3.
* **Access through Faith in Christ:** Galatians 3:26 declares, “For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.” The promise made to Abraham is now extended to anyone with faith in Jesus.
* **The Role of Baptism:** Verse 27 explains, “For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” Baptism is the God-appointed act of faith that identifies a believer with Christ’s death and resurrection.
* **Unity and Inheritance:** Verses 28-29 reveal the glorious outcome: “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” Through the Gospel, all barriers are removed; believers become spiritual descendants of Abraham and heirs to the promises of the Kingdom.
This Gospel was once a mystery hidden in God’s purpose (Ephesians 3:3-9). Now, it has been revealed: the unsearchable riches of Christ, offering salvation to all who heed the call, believe the message, and are baptised into him.
**Conclusion: An Enduring and Open Invitation**
The Gospel is far more than a historical account; it is the living, powerful good news of God’s plan for salvation. It is rooted in promises to Abraham, accomplished through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and open to all people without distinction. It offers a tangible hope—the hope of resurrection, peace, and an inheritance in the coming Kingdom of God. This is why the Gospel remains profoundly relevant. It is an invitation to listen, believe, and stand firm in this hope, linking our lives today to the eternal purpose of God.
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