Online petition out to lure Costco to Knoxville

A petition to bring a wholesale warehouse store to Knoxville is gaining ground. Knoxville native Tommy Stokes started the grassroots effort the end of June, and he's amazed by the support to bring Costco Wholesale to East Tennessee.

Stokes is a graphic designer who has developed Knoxville's logo and helped to give the renovated Sunsphere a new look.

"Development is something that needs branding, and that's where I tend. You find me at places where they need to create identity," Stokes said.

Recently, Stokes identified another need.

"My wife and her family travel to Atlanta, and they travel other places and they see retail outlets like Costco, and they always come home and encourage me to talk to my friends about what can I do to get places like this in Knoxville," Stokes said.

Costco is a wholesale multi-purpose retailer that offers its members discount products. It is a Sam's Club competitor.

Stokes talked to his developer friends and came up with a plan for an online petition that gives bloggers a place to sell East Tennessee to Costco.

"I'll just leave it to them to tell us why Knoxville would be a place where a Costco would want to come land," Stokes said.

He has set his bar high with a goal of 50,000 signatures on his electronic petition.

"I do plan for the folks that do sign up, that this won't just lay there," Stokes said. "I plan to make an effort to approach people who might help me get this information to Costco."

Stokes said the response to his website has been overwhelming. The site recorded more than 1,300 signatures by Tuesday evening.

CEO and President of Costco Jim Sinegal says they have looked at several locations in the Knoxville area over the years. However, Costco has not determined if, when or where they would open a Knoxville store.

The Costco executive says the company has dealt with several Knoxville real estate agents and developers, but he did not remember any specific names.

Regarding the online petition, Sinegal said he would look at the petition responding "we are flattered. It is always nice to be wanted."

Sinegal also added that he believes Knoxville is an attractive community.