The Top 20 Retail Stores Cochise County Wants

Sierra Vista and Cochise County are excellent places to live.

The cost of living is still relatively reasonable, but there's a hidden cost to living here: we still must drive almost one hundred miles to shop at some stores. If you're looking to shop in bulk, there's nothing even remotely like Costco here.

Time and again, residents have begged for a store like Trader Joe's or Sprouts, and while there is hope on the horizon for a Sprouts by 2027, we're still living in a food desert when it comes to fresh, affordable produce.

I asked listeners which retailers they wished for in Cochise County. Keep reading to the end for our full list.

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Why are we still driving two hours to buy bulk toilet paper?

If you’ve ever made a “quick” trip to Tucson just to stock up at Trader Joe’s, Costco, or Kohl’s, you’re not alone. The cost of gas alone makes us question if the trip is worth the savings.

Cochise County residents have long wished for these retail favorites to set up shop closer to home. Despite years of begging, these stores haven't indicated any plans to set up shop in our area.

READ: 3 Arizona Cities Make Top 100 List of Best Places to Live

What’s holding them back?

It mostly comes down to numbers. According to a population and demographics study at CochiseEconomy.com, as of 2024, Cochise County’s population is sitting around 128,253.

Cochise County is vast, spanning 6,219 square miles, according to Wikipedia. Sierra Vista, the largest city in the county, has around 45,300 residents. National retailers like Trader Joe’s and Costco typically look for denser urban markets, such as Tucson and Phoenix, that offer higher foot traffic and income levels.

We're not likely to get a Costco built in Cochise County, since they look for markets with populations of at least 250,000 within a 20-mile radius. The entire population of Cochise County and its vast expanse mean we're out of the running.

READ: What It's Really Like to Live in Sierra Vista, Arizona

Could they ever come here?

While it's not impossible, it’s a long shot. Cochise County is growing slowly and is projected to reach a population of around 129,781 by 2030. Still, it’s not at the scale these chains usually require.

Besides, they figure. If you're already driving to Tucson or Phoenix to shop at these stores, you'll keep doing so, which means they're unlikely to expand here.

Here are the stores Cochise County residents would most like to see open here.