Fresh groceries coming to WA Target stores?

[Brian Lutz]

I was talking with a friend of mine this evening who works at one of the local Target stores, and he told me that plans are in the works for upcoming remodels of all local Target stores (some of which are recent builds or have been comprehensively remodeled within the past five years or so to add grocery departments and pharmacies) which would include the addition of produce departments and pre-packaged fresh meats to the existing grocery departments. Not a lot of details to go on, but given Target's recent push to add groceries to many of their stores, it definitely wouldn't be a surprise.

[wnetmacman]

This is part of Target's pFresh program. It's supposed to eventually hit all their stores, minus the Super Targets, of course.

[marshd1000]

I am wondering if some Targets might be prohibited to add produce and meat because of their lease? One example I can think of could be where Target is in a shopping center with an existing grocer in the same center. The Target at Westwood Village in West Seattle comes to mind. It is one of the first generation of Targets built in Western Washington and is kind of small. In the same center is a very busy QFC. I could see Kroger having some kind of stipulation against competition for fresh foods. But honesly, I don't know if that is the case here.

[Brian Lutz]

I think it depends more on store size. I know that a number of smaller Target stores (such as Factoria and Northgate) never got the remodel that added groceries in the first place, and that the freestanding store in Redmond actually expanded its building to add groceries. After seeing some pictures of a PFresh store, it sounds like the additions that would be required would be relatively minimal anyway, so it's probably not going to result in huge changes, probably mostly reductions to the size of the seasonal department.

Also, I don't know whether or not it would provide a relevant example, but about a year and a half ago in Redmond a Trader Joe's store opened in a shopping center with a long-established QFC in it, so there's certainly not any sort of exclusivity there.

[VibeGuy]

I was just in Northgate today, in fact, looking for a jam that is only stocked at pFresh and/or SuperTarget locations.

Compared to a Target that has had the expanded fridge/freezer case installs but no fresh produce/meat (like Gig Harbor), the net difference for fresh is probably 50% more inline fridge/freezer for more depth in certain subcategories, and then the equivalent of four aisle-sides for case-ready pork/chicken/beef and packaged produce. I thought the merch mix was really surprisingly good and the prices were competitive with the nearest Wal-Mart Supercenter. In terms of additional SKUs, I'd *bet* the pFresh count is approximately the same as, say a Save-A-Lot superimposed over a regular Target with the expanded food section.

I was hoping/thinking it would be more like a Fresh & Easy meeting a Target.

[VibeGuy]

Federal Way and Westwood are both definitely getting pFresh based on some temporary hiring they're doing, incidentally.

[Super S]

I was recently at the Portland Mall 205 Target and noticed they have added groceries. There was some fresh produce, but it was a real basic grocery department located in the back of the lower story (this location is a former Montgomery Ward) No bakery, no deli, no fresh meat department. It was a real basic grocery department and, honestly, not all that impressive. Also worth noting is that Target did away with the neon lighting along the walls and painted them red, and changed the light fixtures from silver reflectors to white reflectors, the store seems a lot brighter.

[storewanderer]

This is interesting. I have not seen them add only produce to a store. They always throw in their tiny bakery/deli/meat mix in these pFresh remodels.

Still no activity on this in the NV Targets in Reno/Sparks/Carson City but I know over the hill in Sacramento and as close as Auburn (100 miles) that everything has been remodeled into pFresh.

[Super S]

What I meant was no SERVICE bakery, deli, or meat department. I didn't really take a close look at things but noted a produce section. It seemed more like it was aimed at "conveinence" shoppers than people who are buying large amounts of food at once. It certainly would not be where I would go for a large grocery trip.

[Brian Lutz]

Around here, most of the remodels have been completed by now, and surprisingly, the Redmond store (which got remodeled extensively when groceries were added just a few years ago) actually got some pretty major changes, with most of the hardline departments (electronics, sporting goods, toys, etc.) getting moved to a completely different part of the store. I haven't been to the Factoria store since the remodel was completed, but I imagine a lot of stuff has been moved there as well. Other newer stores (such as the Renton one, probably the newest one in this area until the new Downtown Seattle one opens) had basically no layout changes as a result of the PFresh remodel.

And yes, although there are some meat and produce items (and the prices on them tend to be pretty good), the selection is far from comprehensive, and I find it to be more of a "drop in when you're in the area" type place than a place that you would seek out to do all your grocery shopping.