New Hampshire is a step closer to getting another Costco. On October 26, Newington’s Planning Board conditionally approved a nearly 167,000-square-foot warehouse and gas station at the former Mall at Fox Run property, moving a long-discussed retail project toward construction.
The decision advances a new location amid Costco’s broader warehouse expansion, but shoppers should not expect an immediate opening. The project team is targeting November 2027, and the approval comes with important conditions.
What New Hampshire’s newest Costco could include
The proposed store is part of Seacoast Landing, a redevelopment led by Torrington Properties in Newington, near Portsmouth. The Mall at Fox Run closed in January 2026, and demolition of the old shopping center is making way for a different mix of retail and commercial spaces.
Costco’s plans call for a membership warehouse, tire center and gas station. Earlier presentations to local officials described 16 fuel pumps and approximately 820 parking spaces, plus a food court, pharmacy, optical services and hearing services. Those features remain plans until the project is completed.
For shoppers along New Hampshire’s Seacoast, the store could mean a shorter drive for bulk groceries and household essentials. Costco’s only existing New Hampshire warehouse is in Nashua, although the company previously operated in the Portsmouth area.
The approval comes with a traffic catch
The Planning Board attached 17 conditions to its October 26 decision. Some address concerns about the effect of construction and delivery vehicles on Gosling Road and Woodbury Avenue, according to New Hampshire Public Radio’s account of the decision.
Construction and delivery trucks must enter and leave the property using exits 3 and 4 on the Spaulding Turnpike. Those requirements are part of the town’s effort to manage traffic as the former mall property changes.
This is conditional approval, not a final announcement that every construction hurdle has been cleared. The 17 requirements still matter, and the company has not announced a firm grand-opening date for the new store.
When is the new Costco expected to open?
Project engineer Kim Masiuk of BL Companies said the goal is to close on the land in early 2027, begin construction in April and open in November 2027. That is the development team’s timeline, not a guaranteed opening date.
The broader Seacoast Landing redevelopment has also advanced. In May 2026, Newington voters approved a tax-increment financing district to support infrastructure improvements. That vote was separate from the October conditional approval of Costco’s specific proposal.
The project would give New Hampshire a second operating Costco if it is completed as planned. For now, the clearest signs of progress are the local board’s decision and the construction timeline; shoppers will have to wait for a confirmed opening announcement before planning their first visit.
Links on this page may be affiliate links, for which the site earns a small commission, but the price for you is the same
Leave a Comment