Costco internationals settle in Docklands

The soon-to-be-opened Costco store has brought five new international residents into the Docklands community.

The American, British and New Zealand-born workers have settled into their new Docklands homes and they’re loving it.

Front-end staff manager VJ McMurray lives at Victoria Point and has adopted AFL team Carlton. He’s started hosting pre-football social events at his apartment and has learned to support “any team which beats Collingwod”.
VJ is in his 20th year with Costco and left Tacoma Washington in favour of Docklands “for the adventure and excitement of meeting new people and opening up in a new country”.

Liverpool-born Kyla White spent the last nine years working for Costco in Japan.  The assistant warehouse manager is very comfortable living at The Nolan tower and is so close to work, she can see the store from her apartment window.

“I think it’s fantastic here.  I love the sense of community and it’s so convenient to everything,” she said.

Receiving manager Stuart Macman is returning to Australia, although technically he was born in the UK having been brought to live in Perth when he was a baby.

He travelled to Britain for a six-month holiday in 2005, took a temporary job with Costco and was still there in March when he packed up and headed for Docklands.

Stuart and Kiwi night merchandising manager Mick Cottle live in Harbour Town.  Mick found his way to Docklands via Costco in Los Angeles.

Stuart said living in a shopping centre was a little too quiet and that the convenience of so many great places to eat was a little too convenient.

Paul Perrett, a baker from the UK, is the fifth “foreign legion” member living in Docklands.

Costco hasn’t yet announced an opening date. The previously mentioned late July may become early August.