City Target Store for Downtown Detroit?

**Parkguy** · July-23-12, 07:24 PM

New concept for Target: three cities for now.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/flatpages/video/mediacenterbc3.html?bctid=1743877049001

**Hermod** · July-23-12, 07:52 PM

There is an older two-story Target with adjacent two story parking garage [[free) in Deerfield Beach, FL. Been there for a few years.

**stasu1213** · July-23-12, 08:09 PM

The former Woolworth building or the Kresge building would be an excellent spot for City Target. Get rid of the Red Grape Lounge. It was idiotic for the city to allow the Nikkis owner to open any bar on Merchants Row.

**jpbollma** · July-23-12, 08:13 PM

Originally Posted by stasu1213

The former Woolworth building or the Kresge building would be an excellent spot for City Target. Get rid of the Red Grape Lounge. It was idiotic for the city to allow the Nikkis owner to open any bar on Merchants Row.

would be great for merchants row and within the average Detroiter's price range.

**douglasm** · July-23-12, 08:34 PM

Aw gee.....didn't I mention this store concept a couple of years ago when it was announced? Memory says a lot of people here said it wouldn't work in Detroit.

**DetroitPlanner** · July-23-12, 09:08 PM

Originally Posted by stasu1213

The former Woolworth building or the Kresge building would be an excellent spot for City Target. Get rid of the Red Grape Lounge. It was idiotic for the city to allow the Nikkis owner to open any bar on Merchants Row.

I don't think they are big enough. I've been to the flagship Target in Minneapolis and it is much larger. In order for a target to be successful it will most likely need to have parking incorporated into the structure [[similar to the one in Bloomfield on telegraph). I would offer the space on the old Hudson site across the street and build something on top of the store.

That being said, I don't know if Target would want to be there. The market is empty of that type of store. If it could be assured by say a successful dollar general or a family dollar downtown it may be convinced that the market is worthwhile.

**313WX** · July-23-12, 09:48 PM

I hear there are also plans to build an urban Wal-Mart in Washington DC.

**313WX** · July-23-12, 09:52 PM

Originally Posted by DetroitPlanner

That being said, I don't know if Target would want to be there. The market is empty of that type of store. If it could be assured by say a successful dollar general or a family dollar downtown it may be convinced that the market is worthwhile.

The Dollar General that's in LAfayette Park has been literally robbed blind since it opened. The corporate heads were weighing the possibility of shuttering it.

So the short story, if a measely Dollar General is having trouble trying to maintain a profitable location due to its amazingly high shrinkage downtown, there's no way a Target is going to risk investing down there.

Not to mention, I hear the Target at Eastland has the highest shrinkage rate of all the stores in the country, and the corporate heads in Minneapolis have debated time and time again over shuttering it.

**jpbollma** · July-23-12, 09:56 PM

How pathetic that Detroiters even rob a Dollar Store. Doesn't reflect well for how the new Gateway shopping will go when it's completed.

**wolverine** · July-23-12, 10:21 PM

I just passed by the city Target soon to open next week. It would be perfect in downtown Detroit. You could combine buildings if you had to

Love how they uncovered and restored the old columns

The store will have 3 major entrances

And here's a small format Wal-mart. They're being met with tons of opposition though. So far they've been in older buildings.

Thewrigleyblog

**313WX** · July-24-12, 12:06 AM

Originally Posted by wolverine

I just passed by the city Target soon to open next week. It would be perfect in downtown Detroit. You could combine buildings if you had to

Love how they uncovered and restored the old columns

The store will have 3 major entrances

And here's a small format Wal-mart. They're being met with tons of opposition though. So far they've been in older buildings.

Thewrigleyblog

I will admit, it would be frickin' sweet to shop in a Target [[or any retail store) like that.

**Hermod** · July-24-12, 04:07 AM

Originally Posted by jpbollma

How pathetic that Detroiters even rob a Dollar Store. Doesn't reflect well for how the new Gateway shopping will go when it's completed.

One of the barriers to business investment in large cities is factoring in the cost of providing five-finger discounts.

**detroitbob** · July-24-12, 06:47 AM

I have visited the small format Walmart in Chicago and it was full of neighborhood people, buying essentials and items from the small selection of housewares. I plan on being in Chicago and will check out the City Target and report on it around August 1.

**iheartthed** · July-24-12, 08:27 AM

Originally Posted by DetroitPlanner

I don't think they are big enough. I've been to the flagship Target in Minneapolis and it is much larger. In order for a target to be successful it will most likely need to have parking incorporated into the structure [[similar to the one in Bloomfield on telegraph).

These aren't meant to be destination stores, so I don't think parking availability would affect the viability of the store too much, either positively or negatively. These City Targets are aimed at competing with the drug store chains like Rite Aid and CVS, which have largely filled the void in urban areas that big box chains discarded in favor of the suburbs. Now that the suburbs are over saturated -- not just Detroit's but nationwide -- the chains are looking for new revenue sources in the cities.

**Detroitej72** · July-24-12, 09:10 AM

They could always reopen the city Target at Bell Air Shopping Center.

**313WX** · July-24-12, 09:31 AM

Originally Posted by Detroitej72

They could always reopen the city Target at Bell Air Shopping Center.

Not really.

The 8 Mile Trade Center and Farmer's Market are using the building now.

**Meddle** · July-24-12, 09:36 AM

A downtown Target would be cool. If they did it right and closed at 6 or 7 PM after most of the office workers left, they may be OK.

Screw Walmart. Keep them out at all costs.

**poobert** · July-24-12, 09:49 AM

Originally Posted by iheartthed

These aren't meant to be destination stores, so I don't think parking availability would affect the viability of the store too much, either positively or negatively. These City Targets are aimed at competing with the drug store chains like Rite Aid and CVS, which have largely filled the void in urban areas that big box chains discarded in favor of the suburbs. Now that the suburbs are over saturated -- not just Detroit's but nationwide -- the chains are looking for new revenue sources in the cities.

I was just goin to mention all the Rite Aids, CVSs and Walgreenses in response to all this talk of getting robbed blind. Either they're suicidal or they're doing okay, because they sprout up like weeds throughout the city, and no ghetto glass either.

**mwilbert** · July-24-12, 10:00 AM

I was just goin to mention all the Rite Aids, CVSs and Walgreenses in response to all this talk of getting robbed blind. Either they're suicidal or they're doing okay, because they sprout up like weeds throughout the city, and noghetto glass either.

This is a good point. The drugstore chains sell a lot of small, relatively high value items and you would think they would have a severe shoplifting problem. Maybe their profit margins are high enough to make it worthwhile anyway, or perhaps the problem isn't that severe, or perhaps they have some mitigation measures in place which other stores could learn from.

**Danny** · July-24-12, 10:25 AM

Downtown Detroit will not get a Target Store for these reasons:

1. It needs plenty of parking.

2. Plenty of security. There's too much violent crime and less police response.

3. Downtown Detroit operates as a 9 to 5 commercial and finanicial district construct. On weekends there will less pedestrian and automobile traffic unless entertainment venues came in.

Since Downtown Seattle has the plenty of pedestrian and automobile traffic and fast regional growth. [[ In which I went there in 2007) They will get a Downtown Target. Don't think fast about getting special exotic stores in Downtown Detroit. It's going to take time and years and years to get off the drawing boards. Just like the Somerset Collection City Lofts in Merchant's Row. It was slow and risky step but it pay off with more exotic retail. Bringing retail back to Downtown Detroit will take some baby steps and not taking giant leaps.

**jpbollma** · July-24-12, 11:02 AM

Originally Posted by Danny

Downtown Detroit will not get a Target Store for these reasons:

1. It needs plenty of parking.

2. Plenty of security. There's too much violent crime and less police response.

3. Downtown Detroit operates as a 9 to 5 commercial and finanicial district construct. On weekends there will less pedestrian and automobile traffic unless entertainment venues came in.

Since Downtown Seattle has the plenty of pedestrian and automobile traffic and fast regional growth. [[ In which I went there in 2007) They will get a Downtown Target. Don't think fast about getting special exotic stores in Downtown Detroit. It's going to take time and years and years to get off the drawing boards. Just like the Somerset Collection City Lofts in Merchant's Row. It was slow and risky step but it pay off with more exotic retail. Bringing retail back to Downtown Detroit will take some baby steps and not taking giant leaps.

I think a small City Target could definitely make it in Downtown. As you stated, there are tens of thousands of workers in the Downtown area from 9-5, so they can adjust the store hours accordingly. You also have about 6-7k people living in the Downtown area. The Broderick alone has 126 apartments.

You also have Lafayette Park within walking distance with another 5k people, Corktown, and Midtown all right there with probably another 25-30k more residents.

Not to mention tourists within the city for sporting events, dining, casinos, and sports. I definitely think one of these could make it. I think it more likely for working class priced retail like this to succeed first before the more exotic shops can set up shop permanently.

**Meddle** · July-24-12, 11:10 AM

Bringing retail back to Downtown Detroit will take some baby steps and not taking giant leaps.

Which is why you start with smaller versions of traditional retailers. Get a cluster going of stores that people regularly go to instead of the wigs shops and whatever else infiltrated the area.

If the money is moving back downtown to some of the business that have been highlighted, this may be a good opportunity to start bringing retailers back as well.

You don't need megastores with 500 car parking lots. Mini versions of Target, Macys, Dillards and even some of the Somerset type boutiques might be the ticket. Places where the scumbags would be out of place and not have the opportunity to victimize.

**Danny** · July-24-12, 11:10 AM

Originally Posted by jpbollma

I think a small City Target could definitely make it in Downtown. As you stated, there are tens of thousands of workers in the Downtown area from 9-5, so they can adjust the store hours accordingly. You also have about 6-7k people living in the Downtown area. The Broderick alone has 126 apartments.

You also have Lafayette Park within walking distance with another 5k people, Corktown, and Midtown all right there with probably another 25-30k more residents.

Not to mention tourists within the city for sporting events, dining, casinos, and sports. I definitely think one of these could make it. I think it more likely for working class priced retail like this to succeed first before the more exotic shops can set up shop permanently.

"Not good enough! Unless Detroit don't get any more regional growth and more police presence, a city Target will not come to Downtown Detroit."

**Danny** · July-24-12, 11:12 AM

I agree with Meddle with its comments.

**douglasm** · July-24-12, 12:57 PM

To some extent I have to agree with Danny, and this was the argument that was presented when I posted Target's Seattle plans a year or two ago. I don't agree that parking would be that much of a problem, a downtown store location doesn't rely that much on parking, tending to serve a non "automotive" urban population.

But location is everything. The Seattle store is at the corner of 2nd and Pike, right in the middle of the Pike Place Market/Westlake Plaza-Downtown shopping district. Seattle's downtown is reletively vibrant to begin with [[although nowhere near what it was 35 years ago), and the city center has a large and growing resident population. I believe it is the latter that they are targeting.
I don't know what the residential population of downtown Detroit is, but I'd be willing to bet that as it grows, you'll see more stores opening up in the downtown area directed at serving that population.