ANKENY, Iowa — The highly-anticipated Ankeny Costco is now open.
Local 5 Meteorologist Brandon Lawrence got a sneak peek at the new location earlier this week.
The wholesale store is the biggest in the Midwest, featuring a food court, gas station, pharmacy, tire service and more.
As part of the Spectrum 36 development, the new store is located at 4000 NE Spectrum Drive just off the I-35 exit at NE 36th St.
The Ankeny Costco joins three other locations throughout Iowa, with the others in West Des Moines, Coralville and Davenport.
"Well, I think that there's a high demand for Costco here. It will help with you know, all the members that live close to here," Regional Marketing Manager Kayla Campillo said. "I feel like once we open that West Des Moines store, it was like you know, opening that box and it was like 'Alright, when are you going to be in Ankeny?' So now we're here and we're excited."
How much is a Costco membership?
A "Gold Star" membership — which includes the ability to shop in-store or online and brings two membership cards with it — is $60 a year, according to the company's website.
Costco's "Executive" membership is $120 a year but includes 2% cash back on Costco purchases.