Sure, the economy's still down, but high-flying retail chain Costco is expanding as it plans to replace recession-wracked anchor stores in a growing number of shopping malls, according a Dow Jones Newswires report. Consumer Reports' tests show that Costco's Kirkland Signature brand has made our winner's list of Recommended models and CR Best Buys for a variety of home products like laundry detergents, AA and automobile batteries, toilet paper, and even that old recession staple, beer.

Costco also proved a winner in Consumer Reports' most recent survey of shopping experiences at appliance stores. In our August 2010 report we surveyed over 21,000 Consumer Reports subscribers and found Costco was rated just behind Amazon.com as the best place to buy small appliances. (If you need some for your college-bound kids, consider these dorm-room friendly small appliances).

But having Costco on the scene could be a mixed blessing for other stores in those malls. "Their average store does over $100 million a year in sales, and there aren't many department stores that can do that, especially in this environment," Randy Brant, executive vice president at mall owner Macerich Co. (MAC), told Dow Jones. "The only downside is typically a customer making large purchases at Costco will get in their car and head home."