Costco again

I know that I have been 0-for-ever in my previous Costco reports, but I'm betting the farm on this one. Situated on Da Dun South road between Wen Hsin 3rd and 5th streets is the location for the Taichung Costco. What makes me so sure this time? I've upgraded my sources. My wife teaches the 11 year old son of the personal secretary to mayor Jason Hu. She spoke to him (the secretary) last night and he swore up and down it's a done deal. He even told her the lot number. Ground will be broke next year and it will be completed within two. For those not too familiar with the streets, the site is off of Wen Hsin road about 5 blocks south of Wu Chuan West road. It's not far from Tony Chen's language school for those unfortunate enough to know. There's a big Buddhist temple behind it (I thought it was an apartment building). So, why is this important? Because Carrefour sucks.

In 2005 Carrefour and Tesco swapped some money and stores. Tesco got Carrefour's stores in Slovakia and the Czech Republic, while Carrefour got Tesco's stores in Taiwan. So, what's wrong with Carrefour? They were the first store that I had been to in Taiwan that forced me to visit every floor of their store before I could get to the floor that I wanted. When living in Changhua, I entered at ground level, went up one floor and then descended two to reach the supermarket, even though there were stairs leading directly to the basement supermarket. We were not admitted and forced to make our trek. The one in Taichung is not as bad as that and maybe the one in Changhua has changed, but that is still supreme suckage.

Let's move on to selection. Initially, Carrefour provided a good selection of their own branded products such as green beans, mushrooms, good red wine vinegar, soups other than cream of corn and other French stuff that I'm sure was probably pretty good to chow down on. So, what have we now? None of that. Carrefour simply has most of what every other store has, but all under one roof. You would think that at least they would preserve their cheesy heritage. You would be wrong. Tesco slaughters them in selections of cheese. Even the Taiwanese supermarket, Sinon (damn the usurpers) has a better cheese selection. Maybe you say that Carrefour must adapt its product lines to the Taiwanese market. Yes, they probably do but they don't have to replicate them 100%. Taiwanese are adventurous eaters. They are willing to try new foods. Hell, they demand it. Ten years ago you wouldn't have been able to find half the things that now stock local supermarkets. I just don't buy the line that one local restaurant owner, Fatty, of Fatty's, told me - Squid ink pasta? Never! They would never touch it. You have to change it for them. Crap, hooey, bunkum, malarkey. So, Brits, say goodbye to your baked beans and all the English curry and cheer for Costco.