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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

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Costco co-founder Jim Sinegal will retire at the end of the year

If you're a Costco fan, here are two items to fill your daily quota.

First, longtime CEO and co-founder Jim Sinegal, one of the better executives in Washington state, will step down and retire at the end of the year. Sinegal has guided Costco forward and made it one of the best retailers across the land.

He's also a unique and hands-on guy. SR reporters have called for answers through Costco's Issaquah-based PR department, and sometimes Sinegal would dial back and start answering. Not something many CEOs do today. He'll be replaced by longtime Costco exec Craig Jelineck.

The other news: Sears has announced it's going to start selling its Craftsmen brand of tools inside Costco stores. That's a big and unexpected move. Sears execs say it's their way of reaching customers who may not be visiting Kmart or Sears stores.



The Spokesman-Review business team follows economic development in Spokane and the Inland Northwest.