Would an urban Target work downtown?

**douglasm** · May-29-18, 05:13 PM

Mass market retailer Target today announced plans for "urban" Target stores in Seattle Ballard, Bellevue and University District) ranging in size from 25,000 to 45,000 sq. ft. to go with their 35,000 sq. ft. "urban" store in downtown Seattle.

I know we've talked about this before, but would something like this work in Downtown Detroit?

http://www.businessinsider.com/targe...cities-2017-10

**SammyS** · May-29-18, 05:52 PM

I'd say hell yeh and yes, rumors have been flying around for a while.

SOMA

A development project was announced in April of 2017 on a 7-acre piece of property just south of Mack Avenue. between Woodward Avenue and John R in Detroit's Cass Corridor, or Midtown neighborhood.
The project, known as South of Mack Avenue [[SOMA), will include two existing buildings and two new office buildings on Woodward Avenue along with at least one parking structure and retail space.
The developer, Birmingham-based Professional Property Management Co. of Michigan, has express interest in trying to lure a Target store to the site.

http://www.mlive.com/news/detroit/in...elopments.html

**Warrenite84** · May-29-18, 06:13 PM

If they fix their bad policy on the public bathroom debacle, it could be a big success. I fear they won't.

**EGrant** · May-29-18, 07:52 PM

I completely forgot about the bathroom thing until now. I literally haven't heard anything about it after the initial twitter outrage died down within a week.

**detmsp** · May-29-18, 11:48 PM

Originally Posted by douglasm

Mass market retailer Target today announced plans for "urban" Target stores in Seattle Ballard, Bellevue and University District) ranging in size from 25,000 to 45,000 sq. ft. to go with their 35,000 sq. ft. "urban" store in downtown Seattle.

I know we've talked about this before, but would something like this work in Downtown Detroit?

http://www.businessinsider.com/targe...cities-2017-10

The areas these stores are going into in Seattle bear little resemblance to Downtown Detroit. One is a hip residential area, one is a major university campus and the last is a very wealthy suburb.

I think downtown needs a lot more residential before it can support a Target. Office workers don't count for much, you need a large number of people living in close proximity of the store.

**Dexlin** · May-30-18, 04:06 AM

There is an urban Target under construction in downtown East Lansing, right now [[see: Center City). Detroit could more than sustain something like this, which is why Meijer is already in pre-development for their urban concept right near Lafayette Park.

**Meddle** · May-30-18, 06:10 AM

Do I smell the rotting stench of a Trump-ette on this thread that has nothing to do with politics or far right hate speech against fairness?

**southen** · May-30-18, 07:14 AM

Originally Posted by Meddle

Do I smell the rotting stench of a Trump-ette on this thread that has nothing to do with politics or far right hate speech against fairness?

Shhhhhh if you ignore them they'll go away. Nothing ever happened with the bathrooms, as expected, yet they're still salty over it.

To the topic though, Detroit could absolutely support this. SOMA would be great, I think downtown would be quite successful as well. We could use something down there outside of that CVS for picking up random items.

**DetroiterOnTheWestCoast** · May-30-18, 09:05 AM

K-Mart should develop an urban store, and call it Kresge.

**DetroitSoldier** · May-30-18, 09:15 AM

Living on the East side, I would rather travel downtown than up to Clinton Township.

**EGrant** · May-30-18, 09:15 AM

I think an urban Target would do very well; CVS has basically had the market cornered on "necessities" for a long time. Some competition will be good. High-end retail and fancy grocery stores are great, but at the end of the day, access to the basics like shampoo at 9 p.m. on a Tuesday are just as important.

**Former_Detroiter** · May-30-18, 09:21 AM

Why are they being referred to as "urban." I live about 60 miles north of Albuquerque, NM where there are 5 Target stores within the city limits. I don't recall any of them being referred to as urban. Will the urban Target stores carry different merchandise?

**dtowncitylover** · May-30-18, 10:04 AM

Originally Posted by Former_Detroiter

Why are they being referred to as "urban." I live about 60 miles north of Albuquerque, NM where there are 5 Target stores within the city limits. I don't recall any of them being referred to as urban. Will the urban Target stores carry different merchandise?

City Targets have a smaller footprint, don't carry everything a suburban Target does, and is usually part/the anchor of a mixed development.

Your 5 Targets are probably the regular stores of 135,000 square feet.

**Meddle** · May-30-18, 10:15 AM

No Targets here within close to 100 miles.. Last time I was in one, I was not impressed. 'Fair' is the best word I can use to describe it. Don't care for their website all that much either.

If I could get a Meijers here I'd be more apt to go there.

**MikeyinBrooklyn** · May-30-18, 10:24 AM

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.

**Onthe405** · May-30-18, 03:55 PM

Originally Posted by dtowncitylover

City Targets have a smaller footprint, don't carry everything a suburban Target does, and is usually part/the anchor of a mixed development.

Not 100% sure, but I believe, within the past year or two, Target has since dropped the multiple-flag strategy [["City Target", "Target Greatland", "Target Express" etc), although they aren't necessarily re-branding/re-signing legacy stores.

"Urban" format has become an internal marketing term they use, but all store sizes will simply display the signature red target & name "Target" as signage. As the article suggests, the footprint is smaller, they offer goods geared toward apartment living instead of home ownership, and attempt to feature merchandise appealing to the given city's taste. At the ones I've been to, they also feature a tourist shop with souvenirs at a fraction of the price of the tourist-trap gift shops.

The concept is to stock only merchandise local urban residents would need to purchase grab-and-go [[Ex: a step stool, food, detergent, a pair of socks), and leave the rest of the shopping to online/pickup.

Macy's is doing the same thing. When they launched the refurbished store in downtown Los Angeles last year, the product line completely changed. For example, 80% of their furniture department is specifically geared toward stylish stuff that is designed to fit into a <700 sq ft space.

**detmsp** · May-30-18, 11:35 PM

Originally Posted by Onthe405

Not 100% sure, but I believe, within the past year or two, Target has since dropped the multiple-flag strategy [["City Target", "Target Greatland", "Target Express" etc), although they aren't necessarily re-branding/re-signing legacy stores.

Greatland hasn't been a thing for... maybe over a decade? It's been so long I can't remember. Super Targets [[I know you didn't mention it, but relevant to the discussion I suppose) have been done for a number of years. City Target is largely a failed experiment. Now City Targets are just called Target... and for the most part under perform. Some were closed.

Target Express may still be a thing... Those stores were extremely small and had a very different product mix than a regular target. It was much more like a CVS plus the sold cell phones and some other small electronics. They started opening them in 2015, but I don't know how they are fairing or whether they are continuing to expand into this space.

**oladub** · May-31-18, 09:34 AM

J.L. Hudson merged with Target. It is ironic that the downtown Hudson store was torn down but a Target is being considered. What's changed? Reasons the downtown Hudson failed included Hudsons being built at Northland and Eastland and the decline of Detroit's population. Detroit's population has since suffered further declines. However, since Northland and Westland Hudsons are closed and Eastland Target was scheduled to close, they won't be siphoning off potential downtown business. By the way, why did Eastland's Target get the axe? A downtown Target with secure parking might be attractive to Windsor residents.

Minneapolis has a successful downtown Target although downtown Minneapolis is, like Seattle, more upscale and has more downtown residents. Free parking there with a minimum of $20 of purchases.

**dtowncitylover** · May-31-18, 09:51 AM

Macy's, Target, and Burlington are gone from Eastland.

A midtown/downtown Target would only be attractive to Windsor if it was a full store. Most Canadians go to the malls and big box strips and maybe venture into the city for a game or concert.

The urban Target here would be for locals, residents and workers, and maybe pedestrian tourists [[which we are getting more of if you didn't know) who might need things.

**archfan** · June-01-18, 02:10 AM

Originally Posted by oladub

J.L. Hudson merged with Target. It is ironic that the downtown Hudson store was torn down but a Target is being considered. What's changed? Reasons the downtown Hudson failed included Hudsons being built at Northland and Eastland and the decline of Detroit's population. Detroit's population has since suffered further declines. However, since Northland and Westland Hudsons are closed and Eastland Target was scheduled to close, they won't be siphoning off potential downtown business. By the way, why did Eastland's Target get the axe? A downtown Target with secure parking might be attractive to Windsor residents.

Minneapolis has a successful downtown Target although downtown Minneapolis is, like Seattle, more upscale and has more downtown residents. Free parking there with a minimum of $20 of purchases.

Dayton's started Target in 1962, about the same time KMart and Walmart were starting their discount department stores. When Dayton's and Hudson's merged in 1969, they were merging their big downtown department stores, with suburban satellites; the 7 year old Target was an afterthought. Now, Target is the only one of the three left, and it's being threatened by Amazon. It will be fascinating to see who threatens Amazon - maybe the return of big, full-service department stores!

**Bham1982** · June-01-18, 12:37 PM

Originally Posted by 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.

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** · June-01-18, 01:27 PM

Originally Posted by Bham1982

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** · June-01-18, 02:04 PM

Originally Posted by Bham1982

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.

**douglasm** · June-01-18, 04:30 PM

The question of why their called "urban" or "city" stores goes to footprint. The Seattle Downtown Target is part of a 18 [[I think) story high rise, where Target has taken the bottom 4 floors and a 200 stall parking garage.

In general....and keep in mind the last time I was in Detroit was 1996.....in urban areas there isn't the footprint available to place a 150,000 sq. ft. store with parking, definately not in Seattle proper.

**stasu1213** · June-01-18, 07:21 PM

It's amazing the East Lansing has it's Target while it's just a pipe dream in Detroit. I still say that there are forces in the city who stall anything such as a Target from opening in Detroit. Meijer is still in the so-called predevelopment stage which may go on for another couple of years. Jefferson avenue itself could manage a few big block stores such as Target, Walmart, and Meijer. Jefferson Village strip mall could hold two of them. Kroger could open a store in midtown or on Jefferson and will get good support. Detroit need a store that's within the community that carry basic needs such as towels, linens, groceries, ironing boards etc. The question is why are these stores are being shut out of Detroit with the exception of two Meijers