Costco is about to open its first stand-alone gas station, but you'll still need to be a member to fill up

Vehicles in line at a Costco gas station in Vallejo, Calif. (Credit: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

• Costco is planning to open a stand-alone gas station. The station will be located in Mission Viejo, Calif., in an area formerly occupied by Bed, Bath & Beyond. The station is expected to open next spring. The gas will be available only to Costco members.

If cheap hot dogs aren’t of interest and you don’t need a pack of paper towels that fills up your car’s trunk, Costco’s latest business venture could be right up your alley.