Target closing 6 stores in early 2019

Predicting the demise of Sears & Kmart since 2017!
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Target closing 6 stores in early 2019

Post by architect »

Target's annual end of year store purge is upon us, and this year, there are far less victims than in recent years past.

https://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/ ... -2017.html
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Re: Target closing 6 stores in early 2019

Post by SamSpade »

The Milwaukee area closure made the local news:
Target Shutting Down Store. . .
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Re: Target closing 6 stores in early 2019

Post by BatteryMill »

Well, interesting slate of closings - from my analysis, this one seems to be an adequate mix of stores from a few different eras of the chain. Some of these are classic locations from where Target has stood the test of time, while others appear to be marginal locations in rough areas or across direct competition.

One of the Southside Chicago stores which opened in 2008 might be considered a testament to how Target has changed their store opening approach in the years that followed, as no further closings have happened from stores opened in subsequent years.

One thing interesting to note here, the closing of the Commack, NY store will mark the end of the Target Greatland brand as we know it. This store was the last one remaining with this signage after other locations remodeled this moniker away in the past decade.
Anyhow, best of luck to these communities and their team members as well as guests. Hope other locations suffice them well enough.
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Re: Target closing 6 stores in early 2019

Post by BreakingThrough »

BatteryMill wrote: October 31st, 2018, 5:26 pmOne thing interesting to note here, the closing of the Commack, NY store will mark the end of the Target Greatland brand as we know it. This store was the last one remaining with this signage after other locations remodeled this moniker away in the past decade.
Anyhow, best of luck to these communities and their team members as well as guests. Hope other locations suffice them well enough.
That is indeed interesting. I always thought Target did a very poor job of explaining what "Greatland" was supposed to be. In the area where I grew up (suburban North County San Diego), Target moved from a former Gemco into a brand-new building about a mile a way in a new power center, complete with new "Greatland" branding. While the store was definitely much more modern and bigger, besides the sign on the building, "Greatland" never seemed to be mentioned again - not in advertising, in-store, or anywhere I can remember. I was still young at the time, but remember being mystified by it even then. "Super Target" is pretty self-explanatory, but the "Greatland" sign was so dominant on those locations that it was strange that it was never explained.
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Re: Target closing 6 stores in early 2019

Post by Super S »

BreakingThrough wrote: November 1st, 2018, 1:19 pm
BatteryMill wrote: October 31st, 2018, 5:26 pmOne thing interesting to note here, the closing of the Commack, NY store will mark the end of the Target Greatland brand as we know it. This store was the last one remaining with this signage after other locations remodeled this moniker away in the past decade.
Anyhow, best of luck to these communities and their team members as well as guests. Hope other locations suffice them well enough.
That is indeed interesting. I always thought Target did a very poor job of explaining what "Greatland" was supposed to be. In the area where I grew up (suburban North County San Diego), Target moved from a former Gemco into a brand-new building about a mile a way in a new power center, complete with new "Greatland" branding. While the store was definitely much more modern and bigger, besides the sign on the building, "Greatland" never seemed to be mentioned again - not in advertising, in-store, or anywhere I can remember. I was still young at the time, but remember being mystified by it even then. "Super Target" is pretty self-explanatory, but the "Greatland" sign was so dominant on those locations that it was strange that it was never explained.
The only thing that I remember about Greatland when the first stores with that signage appeared was that they were larger stores that had a few features not present in regular Target stores such as a second entrance and conveyor belt registers (which most Targets lacked at the time) and a few other things. There wasn't really much to set them apart from a regular Target though.
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Re: Target closing 6 stores in early 2019

Post by storewanderer »

Target Greatland seemed to be designed as a middle between a traditional Target and a Super Target. Target Greatland clearly had a larger footprint, larger clothing area particularly, and as mentioned the larger parking area, entry area, and more checkstands.

Back when I saw the first Target Greatlands, I thought it would be really easy to expand those into Super Targets. I am not sure of that ever actually happening, though. But the P-Fresh/expanded grocery area in the Target Greatlands feels a lot closer to a normal grocery store than it does in the newer model Targets with the short aisles and single facings of most items.

I never did quite understand what "Greatland" was supposed to represent.

Sort of like I never understood "Big" Kmart. The store was no "bigger" than it was before it was signed as "Big." I know the corporate thing there was those stores had the "pantry" department but I am not sure customers ever really understood.
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Re: Target closing 6 stores in early 2019

Post by rwsandiego »

storewanderer wrote: November 2nd, 2018, 11:35 pm Target Greatland seemed to be designed as a middle between a traditional Target and a Super Target. Target Greatland clearly had a larger footprint, larger clothing area particularly, and as mentioned the larger parking area, entry area, and more checkstands.

Back when I saw the first Target Greatlands, I thought it would be really easy to expand those into Super Targets. I am not sure of that ever actually happening, though. But the P-Fresh/expanded grocery area in the Target Greatlands feels a lot closer to a normal grocery store than it does in the newer model Targets with the short aisles and single facings of most items.

I never did quite understand what "Greatland" was supposed to represent.

Sort of like I never understood "Big" Kmart. The store was no "bigger" than it was before it was signed as "Big." I know the corporate thing there was those stores had the "pantry" department but I am not sure customers ever really understood.
They were just bigger Target stores. When Target entered Chicago in the 1990's they did so with Greatlands, although a handful of stores were standard-size Targets. In San Diego there was one Greatland (Encinitas) and it seemed to carry some items not found in a standard Target.
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Re: Target closing 6 stores in early 2019

Post by babs »

storewanderer wrote: November 2nd, 2018, 11:35 pm Target Greatland seemed to be designed as a middle between a traditional Target and a Super Target. Target Greatland clearly had a larger footprint, larger clothing area particularly, and as mentioned the larger parking area, entry area, and more checkstands.

Back when I saw the first Target Greatlands, I thought it would be really easy to expand those into Super Targets. I am not sure of that ever actually happening, though. But the P-Fresh/expanded grocery area in the Target Greatlands feels a lot closer to a normal grocery store than it does in the newer model Targets with the short aisles and single facings of most items.

I never did quite understand what "Greatland" was supposed to represent.

Sort of like I never understood "Big" Kmart. The store was no "bigger" than it was before it was signed as "Big." I know the corporate thing there was those stores had the "pantry" department but I am not sure customers ever really understood.
I worked for Target back when the Greatland stores first opened so I know a bit about the thinking. Back at that time they divided stores by volume (AAA, AA, A, B, C). AAA stores received a wider assortment of merchandise, such as additional colors and carried some brands that lower volume stores did not. The problem was that since these higher volume stores were the same size as lower volume stores, they often had some major issues that made shopping less than pleasant. Such as overwhelmed checkouts, no room for additional inventory, too narrow aisles, etc. Target Greatland was a response to build a better high volume store with wider aisles, more checkstands, two entrances, etc. It really had nothing to do with Super Target or getting into the grocery business.
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Re: Target closing 6 stores in early 2019

Post by rwsandiego »

babs wrote: November 3rd, 2018, 9:30 am
storewanderer wrote: November 2nd, 2018, 11:35 pm Target Greatland seemed to be designed as a middle between a traditional Target and a Super Target. Target Greatland clearly had a larger footprint, larger clothing area particularly, and as mentioned the larger parking area, entry area, and more checkstands.

Back when I saw the first Target Greatlands, I thought it would be really easy to expand those into Super Targets. I am not sure of that ever actually happening, though. But the P-Fresh/expanded grocery area in the Target Greatlands feels a lot closer to a normal grocery store than it does in the newer model Targets with the short aisles and single facings of most items.

I never did quite understand what "Greatland" was supposed to represent.

Sort of like I never understood "Big" Kmart. The store was no "bigger" than it was before it was signed as "Big." I know the corporate thing there was those stores had the "pantry" department but I am not sure customers ever really understood.
I worked for Target back when the Greatland stores first opened so I know a bit about the thinking. Back at that time they divided stores by volume (AAA, AA, A, B, C). AAA stores received a wider assortment of merchandise, such as additional colors and carried some brands that lower volume stores did not. The problem was that since these higher volume stores were the same size as lower volume stores, they often had some major issues that made shopping less than pleasant. Such as overwhelmed checkouts, no room for additional inventory, too narrow aisles, etc. Target Greatland was a response to build a better high volume store with wider aisles, more checkstands, two entrances, etc. It really had nothing to do with Super Target or getting into the grocery business.
Thinking back to when Target entered Chicago in 1993, most of the stores were Greatland stores, with only a handful opening as regular-size Targets. The difference in merchandise was noticeable.

To @babs's point, the first Greatland opened in 1990, with SuperTarget opening five years later. Here's a timeline.
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Re: Target closing 6 stores in early 2019

Post by arizonaguy »

rwsandiego wrote: November 3rd, 2018, 5:49 pm
babs wrote: November 3rd, 2018, 9:30 am
storewanderer wrote: November 2nd, 2018, 11:35 pm Target Greatland seemed to be designed as a middle between a traditional Target and a Super Target. Target Greatland clearly had a larger footprint, larger clothing area particularly, and as mentioned the larger parking area, entry area, and more checkstands.

Back when I saw the first Target Greatlands, I thought it would be really easy to expand those into Super Targets. I am not sure of that ever actually happening, though. But the P-Fresh/expanded grocery area in the Target Greatlands feels a lot closer to a normal grocery store than it does in the newer model Targets with the short aisles and single facings of most items.

I never did quite understand what "Greatland" was supposed to represent.

Sort of like I never understood "Big" Kmart. The store was no "bigger" than it was before it was signed as "Big." I know the corporate thing there was those stores had the "pantry" department but I am not sure customers ever really understood.
I worked for Target back when the Greatland stores first opened so I know a bit about the thinking. Back at that time they divided stores by volume (AAA, AA, A, B, C). AAA stores received a wider assortment of merchandise, such as additional colors and carried some brands that lower volume stores did not. The problem was that since these higher volume stores were the same size as lower volume stores, they often had some major issues that made shopping less than pleasant. Such as overwhelmed checkouts, no room for additional inventory, too narrow aisles, etc. Target Greatland was a response to build a better high volume store with wider aisles, more checkstands, two entrances, etc. It really had nothing to do with Super Target or getting into the grocery business.
Thinking back to when Target entered Chicago in 1993, most of the stores were Greatland stores, with only a handful opening as regular-size Targets. The difference in merchandise was noticeable.

To @babs's point, the first Greatland opened in 1990, with SuperTarget opening five years later. Here's a timeline.
Interestingly enough, here in the Phoenix area most of the Target stores were "regular-size" stores. I only know of one Greatland store in the Phoenix area off hand (and it was a later build store opening in 2001). There also was a Super Target in the area built in the late 1990s and a handful of them built around the mid-2000s (however the vast majority of stores built in the 1980s and 1990s and the late 2000s onward are all "regular" Targets).

The former Greatland store isn't all that "great" as it is one of the only Target stores in the area to not have a Starbucks. The HBA assortment is much smaller than other stores in the area. It almost seems like it was built as a Greatland store but gets treated by Target as one of their "lower volume" locations whereas most of their "standard" stores in the area have more product.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Targe ... 15!9m1!1b1
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