Five-foot Toy Story 3 bear draws the crowds at Costco’s first store in ‘China’s Silicon Valley’

Hong Kong CNN —

More than four years after Costco’s first store in the country caused a stir, shoppers in the southern metropolis of Shenzhen this week flocked to the US retailer’s latest outlet on Chinese shores.

Costco unveiled its new 44,500-square-meter store in the city often dubbed China’s “Silicon Valley” on Friday, drawing large crowds in search of bargains and imported products.

It’s the US retailer’s sixth store in the world’s second biggest economy, but its first foray along the southern coast of the country, which is home to the headquarters of Chinese tech giants like Tencent and DJI and a rapidly growing middle class. Shenzhen alone has a population of more than 17 million and, in 2022, a GDP of $460 billion, according to its local government.

Among the more popular products on offer at the Costco opening were discounted fruits, such as cherries and berries, and the Chinese spirit Moutai, according to shoppers who spoke to CNN.

People line up outside the Costco store in Shenzhen, China, during its launch on January 12, 2024.

Many had waited in line for more than an hour to get in.

Images on Chinese social media showed customers filling the isles of the 15,000-square-meter shopping space, many with trolleys loaded to the brim.

Lots-O’-Huggin’ Bear, a fluffy villain from Pixar’s Toy Story 3, was also in high demand.

Social media was awash with images of people taking home the giant version of the bear, measuring five feet tall. A smaller version, less than half the size, sold out within hours.

“I didn’t expect to see so many people,” Kim Lin, one of the first shoppers to enter on Friday, told CNN.

Lin, who had waited in line for an hour, said she was impressed because the staff helped her get fruit