There is Still Hope for Us

The rest of the country may consider Northern Californians irredeemable, but this shows there is still hope for us. [bold added]

The weekend before the opening of the Bay Area’s newest Costco [in Pleasanton] brought a now-familiar sight: crowds of people camping out to secure their place in line on opening day. A similar encampment had formed in advance of the opening of the Napa Costco in October — though that hadn’t fallen during an atmospheric river.

These campers descend on new Costco stores largely in search of one item: booze, particularly rare bottles of bourbon.

The devoted drinkers have been eagerly speculating online about whether the Pleasanton Costco, which opens Wednesday at 7200 Johnson Drive, might carry bourbons that have been present at other Costco grand openings like Buffalo Trace Antique Collection, Russell’s Reserve 15 Year and, most coveted of all, Pappy Van Winkle, which notoriously goes for thousands of dollars a bottle from online resellers.

I prefer scotch, but if someone offers me a sip of any of the aforementioned bourbons, I wouldn't turn it down.