Would an urban Target work downtown?

[MikeyinBrooklyn]

Detroit can support at least several "urban format" stores, whichever brand brings them doesn't matter too much. Target, Walmart or Meijer. I have a hunch that who does land first will open a cluster of them, with 3-4 in the greater downtown area. I think several normal or suburban format stores could also thrive a little further out.

[Bham1982]

Detroit can support at least several "urban format" stores, whichever brand brings them doesn't matter too much. Target, Walmart or Meijer. I have a hunch that who does land first will open a cluster of them, with 3-4 in the greater downtown area. I think several normal or suburban format stores could also thrive a little further out.

I would be very surprised if Detroit could support a single "urban format" store, and doubt any are coming unless Gilbert wants to basically pay them to come. Detroit has never been more depopulated, and there isn't any need for "urban format" stores.

[dtowncitylover]

I would be very surprised if Detroit could support a single "urban format" store, and doubt any are coming unless Gilbert wants to basically pay them to come. Detroit has never been more depopulated, and there isn't any need for "urban format" stores.

Or, you know, the $2.6 billion that Detroiters' spend outside the city every year in the suburbs at stores like Target and Wal Mart.

http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article...lly-in-suburbs

[401don]

I would be very surprised if Detroit could support a single "urban format" store, and doubt any are coming unless Gilbert wants to basically pay them to come. Detroit has never been more depopulated, and there isn't any need for "urban format" stores.

As with any other retail business, Detroit's overall population is irrelevant. What matters is how many people live and work, and are projected to live, in the 2 mile area [[or whatever geographic radius they use) of the proposed store.

[EastsideAl]

I would be very surprised if Detroit could support a single "urban format" store, and doubt any are coming unless Gilbert wants to basically pay them to come. Detroit has never been more depopulated, and there isn't any need for "urban format" stores.

I don't know, it would be nice if the 700,000 or so of us poor souls left in the City of Detroit had a few places to shop that didn't entail a 10 mile drive to somewhere else [[where we Detroiters make up a significant portion of the patronage). But, then again, what hope do we have when the 560,000 people of Albuquerque can only support 5 full size Target stores within their city limits?

[Bham1982]

I don't know, it would be nice if the 700,000 or so of us poor souls left in the City of Detroit had a few places to shop that didn't entail a 10 mile drive to somewhere else [[where we Detroiters make up a significant portion of the patronage).

Detroit is ringed by multitudes of big-box stores on all sides. I doubt there's any Detroiter who has to drive anywhere near 10 miles for big box.

We were talking a mini-Target downtown, which makes no sense. I could see a full-size Target possibly working on the city's fringe, though will note that a city-bordering Targets have closed in Southfield and Harper Woods [[though they exist in Livonia and Dearborn).

[iheartthed]

Detroit is ringed by multitudes of big-box stores on all sides. I doubt there's any Detroiter who has to drive anywhere near 10 miles for big box.

We were talking a mini-Target downtown, which makes no sense. I could see a full-size Target possibly working on the city's fringe, though will note that a city-bordering Targets have closed in Southfield and Harper Woods [[though they exist in Livonia and Dearborn).

Why would it make more sense to put a large Target where they already exist, instead of a small format Target where none exists?

[Bham1982]

Why would it make more sense to put a large Target where they already exist, instead of a small format Target where none exists?

Because you need a market. There is no such market, right now, downtown/midtown.

There are very few places in the country, outside of large universities, and a few first-tier city centers, where you have a large population of non-poor living urban lifestyles. The 10k or so people living downtown/midtown are already served by big box and Amazon, obviously.

I could see it happening, though. If Michigan can give Gilbert $700 million for an office building, I could see them giving them $70 million or something for a few retailers. They already did that for the mini-WF.

[iheartthed]

Because you need a market. There is no such market, right now, downtown/midtown.

There are very few places in the country, outside of large universities, and a few first-tier city centers, where you have a large population of non-poor living urban lifestyles. The 10k or so people living downtown/midtown are already served by big box and Amazon, obviously.

I could see it happening, though. If Michigan can give Gilbert $700 million for an office building, I could see them giving them $70 million or something for a few retailers. They already did that for the mini-WF.

Downtown and midtown Detroit is probably the densest concentration of people in the entire state of Michigan. That is not to mention that the population of this area x-tuples during business hours. And, to top it off, it is one of the fastest growing areas in the Detroit region.

I don't think the problem with retail in Detroit has ever been that Detroit residents couldn't "support" it. What happened was that there was a retail industry shift to the suburban format, and that format was incompatible with building in Detroit. Now that there is a shift back into urban formats it only makes sense that Detroit is where retailers would look to build when considering southeast Michigan.

[erikd]

Detroit is ringed by multitudes of big-box stores on all sides. I doubt there's any Detroiter who has to drive anywhere near 10 miles for big box.

We were talking a mini-Target downtown, which makes no sense. I could see a full-size Target possibly working on the city's fringe, though will note that a city-bordering Targets have closed in Southfield and Harper Woods [[though they exist in Livonia and Dearborn).

The closest Target store [[Dearborn) is about 10.5 miles from downtown Detroit.

[Bham1982]

The closest Target store [[Dearborn) is about 10.5 miles from downtown Detroit.

Almost no one lives downtown. There are plenty of big box stores in proximity to Detroit's population and wealth. Most middle class Detroit households are in NW Detroit, proximate to big box [[including some in city limits, like 2 Meijers and a Home Depot).

Retailers know census-tract level demographics. This is pretty much the core foundation of site selection. If they believe there's some unmet consumer need for big box in/around downtown, they won't hesitate to build [[and the city/state won't hesitate to pay them handsomely).

[dtowncitylover]

Almost no one lives downtown. There are plenty of big box stores in proximity to Detroit's population and wealth. Most middle class Detroit households are in NW Detroit, proximate to big box [[including some in city limits, like 2 Meijers and a Home Depot).

Retailers know census-tract level demographics. This is pretty much the core foundation of site selection. If they believe there's some unmet consumer need for big box in/around downtown, they won't hesitate to build [[and the city/state won't hesitate to pay them handsomely).

Your first statement is utterly false, but what else is new?

Retailers know demographics, but they also know city hall. The cost of opening up in Detroit, from what I've heard and seen, can be a daunting challenge. As the meme goes, "One doesn't just simply open up a store in Detroit." Gilbert has definitely played a strong hand in getting those new stores along Woodward. I also can imagine Target execs looking and waiting for what the city will be like in 2020 and if the momentum continues, then yes they could open. Along with other national brands.

Brick and mortar is not dead. It's being shaped by us consumers, and not all of us use Prime or care to buy online. Some of us browse online and go check out things in store. Or we buy online and return in store, thus creating need for both.

[Former_Detroiter]

I don't know, it would be nice if the 700,000 or so of us poor souls left in the City of Detroit had a few places to shop that didn't entail a 10 mile drive to somewhere else [[where we Detroiters make up a significant portion of the patronage). But, then again, what hope do we have when the 560,000 people of Albuquerque can only support 5 full size Target stores within their city limits?

Since you mentioned Albuquerque there are 3 Sam's Clubs and 3 Costco's all within the city limits.