Politics aside, few would argue that GOP presidential hopeful Ben Carson—a retired pediatric neurosurgeon—isn’t a bright guy. So what does it mean that, while serving on Costco’s board from 2002 to 2005, Ben Carson was accused of granting over 1.01 million shares worth of illegally backdated stock options?

Violence erupted Sunday at a Burbank, California, Costco after an elderly shopper reprimanded a 24-year-old man for allegedly eating too many Nutella samples. According to police, Derrick Gharabighi punched the 78-year-old victim in response to the allegations of hazelnut spread hoarding.

Next time you're out buying seafood, consider getting the lobster. A Guardian report reveals that shrimp sold across the U.S. and U.K. are produced in part by slaves off the coast of Thailand who endure unimaginable violence and abuse.

Another reason to shop at Costco: they labeled the Bible as "fiction." (Until all hell broke loose.)

Wal-Mart is threatening to walk away from at least three planned sites in the District of Columbia after DC lawmakers voted to require the megastore and other large nonunion retailers to provide workers with a mimimum "living wage" of $12.50 an hour.

The must-read capitalist profile of the week is BloombergBusinessweek's look at Costco and its CEO, Craig Jelinek. Costco is the second-largest retailer in America, after Wal-Mart. Their business practices could hardly be more different.

Maybe just get the fresh fruit? At least thirty people have contracted Hepatitis A from a Costco frozen berry and pomegranate mix, and although the product has been pulled from shelves, officials are bracing themselves for more outbreaks linked to restaurants that purchased the product.

What was United States Vice President Joseph Robinette Biden doing while his boss officially claimed victory over a vanquished opponent during the ancient mystical ceremony of "private lunch"? Big Joe Biden was at Costco looking for pies, that's what he was doing.

Legendary comedienne Joan Rivers had to be escorted out of a Burbank, California Costco by police after she handcuffed herself to a shopping cart in protest of the retailer's ban of her bestselling book, I Hate Everything... Starting With Me.

Next time you're at your local Costco, you know, buying that 5 lb. box of Swedish Fish, stocking up on frozen shrimp, maybe trying on wedding dresses, and ogling the cut-price flatscreens, maybe you want to pick up a diamond ring while you're at it—a $1 million diamond ring. Yup.

What will save the dying American malls? Costco! Malls will all become Costcos. Better?

Today marks the day that Sarah Palin rose from mere fame to 80s-hair-metal-trashing-hotel-rooms-snorting-coke-in-the-tour-bus-level superstardom. She signed some woman's chest with a Sharpie at a Utah Costco. Red and Blue America: Put aside your differences for a sec and give props.

• The Breslin at the Ace Hotel has started serving dinner. [TONY]
• Marcus Samuelsson is cooking up the state dinner in DC tonight. The mostly vegetarian menu features curry, herbs from the White House garden. [AP]
• A few recommendations on where to eat out on Thanksgiving Day. [TONY]
• Murray's Cheese is expanding thanks a deal with a grocery chain. [NYT]
• There's a bit more Tavern on the Green drama today. [NYT]
• Alan Richman dragged Le Bernardin's Eric Ripert to Costco to go shopping. Ripert was horrified by the store, but pleasantly surprised with the food. [GQ]
• The tuna your local sushi spot is serving you may not be tuna. [Gothamist]

Manhattan's very first Costco opened its doors this morning. Located on 116th Street off the FDR—and encompassing 105,000-square-feet—it's a slice of the suburbs in the middle of the city. Oh, and the bargains to be had: three pounds of almonds for $9.69; a five-liter jug of olive oil for $19.99; 40-pound bags of dog food for $23.39! Although when you factor in the cost of renting a storage unit—you won't be able to keep all that crap in your tiny Manhattan apartment, will you?—you can continue to buy your groceries at your local deli for twice the price and you'll still come out even in the end. [NYP]

• Francois Payard says he'll be forced to close his Upper East Side flagship (and lay off his 74 employees) if his landlord insists on doubling his rent. [Crain's]
• Daniel Boulud's DBGB held a preview last night for industry peeps and, sure enough, loads of industry types turned up. Commoners will get a chance to try out DB's latest venture when it opens to the public on June 8. [TFB, GS, Eater]
• Ipuddo, the EV ramen spot, gets one star from Bruni in today's Times. [NYT]
• Yama on Houston has closed; the lounge Stay caught fire last night. [Eater]
• A bunch of Hamptons bouncers have been busted for dealing drugs. [NYP]
• Nobu in London still serves endangered bluefin tuna because the chefs there insist on it. Or at least that's how Nobu GM Richie Notar explains it. [TFB]

Costco is planning to take up residence in Manhattan by the end of the year. The store will be part of East River Plaza, the 500,000-square-foot mall opening just off the FDR Drive, between 116th to 119th streets. Not quite close enough to permit penny-pinching Park Avenue wives to walk there, but gallon drums of mayonnaise will now be a much quicker (albeit slightly more expensive) cab ride away. [NYO]