Small-format Target store

[eastland]

I hear Target is opening one of their "small format" stores in East Lansing at the corner of Abbott and Grand River. Hopefully one will be coming to Detroit soon too.

[casscorridor]

I hear Target is opening one of their "small format" stores in East Lansing at the corner of Abbott and Grand River. Hopefully one will be coming to Detroit soon too.

It's surprising how little mega retailers have penetrated urban markets in the US. If you visit the UK the major retailers like Tesco and Sainsbury's have formats that vary in size from convenience stores with daily grocery needs, to large supermarkets to huge Target-like big box stores depending on the locale. The density of such stores is astonishing, it seems like there is one on every corner, whereas in the US you'll be lucky to find anything beyond maybe a CVS that only sells junk food. And this is in addition to various small grocers and convenience stores and up-market or specialty shops. It seems Target would do very well developing smaller sized stores, including some as small as an average CVS.

[Chicago48]

I hear Target is opening one of their "small format" stores in East Lansing at the corner of Abbott and Grand River. Hopefully one will be coming to Detroit soon too.

In Chicago a few years ago, Target built the large-size Targets in almost every neighborhood. Then about 2-3 years ago they went small format. And they continue to build inside Chicago, almost like what Walgreens is doing. I wonder if they will cannabalize their brand/store?

[douglasm]

Depends on what you mean by "small format". In Downtown Seattle, they have an "urban" store that doesn't carry a lot of gardening type stuff, but is geared more towards the urban shopper. It would be the plsce to go to outfit your apartment, and it's truely a small footprint store.

Where I am, in Central Washington, we have a Target that's about 2/3rd the size of a regular Target. Most of the regular stuff, but limited food and no pharmacy.

You can compare the two "small" Targets on their website. The 2nd Ave. Seattle store:

https://www.target.com/sl/seattle-pike-plaza/2786

And the "small footprint" Wenatchee, WA store:

https://www.target.com/sl/wenatchee-target-store/1064

They are very different in character.

[casscorridor]

Detroit needs shops that sell everyday food essentials + home essentials such as cooking tools, small appliances, basic clothing, and miscellaneous goods such as batteries and memory sticks, etc.

In other words, a grocery store + a place to pick up some household items along with your groceries. This may be what Amazon has in mind with Whole Foods: order your Amazon stuff and pick it up while you do your grocery shopping in person [[as in-person grocery shopping will never die).

[mtburb]

Isn't there this sort of Target on Telegraph in Bloomfield Hills where the entire store is actually built right over it's own parking lot?

[Bham1982]

Isn't there this sort of Target on Telegraph in Bloomfield Hills where the entire store is actually built right over it's own parking lot?

Yes. It's a small lot, and Bloomfield Township has all sorts of unusual zoning restrictions, so they put the parking garage on the first level, and the store on top.

So it's kind of an "urban format" store even though it's in the middle of typical ugly suburban sprawl, on the border between Bloomfield and Pontiac. But it's a full-sized store, not one of the official urban Target formats.

I go there semi-frequently, and always seems to be a ghost-town compared to the Troy-Birmingham Target. I wonder if this is, in part, because of its odd design, which makes getting in and out a bit more difficult.

[DetroiterOnTheWestCoast]

I think K-Mart should start a small footprint urban format store......and call them "S.S. Kresge."

Everything old is new again....

[dtowncitylover]

I think K-Mart should start a small footprint urban format store......and call them "S.S. Kresge."

Everything old is new again....

But that's not the worst idea. However, I'm not sure they have the money to invest in such a plan.

[DetroiterOnTheWestCoast]

But that's not the worst idea. However, I'm not sure they have the money to invest in such a plan.

I seriously doubt that they do; I'd just love to see it done. Wouldn't it be great to see a modern S.S. Kresge on Woodward?

[hybridy]

Yes. It's a small lot, and Bloomfield Township has all sorts of unusual zoning restrictions, so they put the parking garage on the first level, and the store on top.

So it's kind of an "urban format" store even though it's in the middle of typical ugly suburban sprawl, on the border between Bloomfield and Pontiac. But it's a full-sized store, not one of the official urban Target formats.

I go there semi-frequently, and always seems to be a ghost-town compared to the Troy-Birmingham Target. I wonder if this is, in part, because of its odd design, which makes getting in and out a bit more difficult.

have to agree...the bloomfield twp target never seemed to have anything. the 12 & southfield was my go to. never busy and always clean

[MikeyinBrooklyn]

KMart will not be doing anything going forward except liquidating. 10 years ago KMart would have been a great company to try and innovate store layouts & retail formats, since they wouldn't be beating Walmart at the general discount department store game, they could have tried to launch a line of sleek urban stores or "specialty" discount retailers. But that time has passed. They are not even attempting to innovate or stay in business; they are not really even pretending to build a future for either the stores or the broader company.

As for Detroit Target stores, I think there a 2 different opportunities. I think there is a market for a couple of smaller concept "downtown" style stores to be in the greater Woodward/Jefferson/Michigan area. But I also think a little further out there is room for more traditionally formatted stores, along the lines of Meijer.