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Target Considering Smaller Stores to Expand in Cities

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Started 2 years ago by NEOBuckeye
Latest reply from Walker

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upstairs
Old Town East
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Where is a downtown business association that can meet the demands of the downtown community through appealing to local business designs?

Having a national chain oversee any community is a bad deal for the local economy. I am too lazy right now to search out and produce figures but it's not good.

So, mall worship, big brand worship, promotes a one way cash valve out the door of the community when local creatures with initiative could fill that gap. Downtown will excel through branding, promoting "culture" in the name of keeping the next housing bubble afloat, via urban core growth and this city should commit cultural suicide. Let's turn downtown into a hip suburb.

"cool factor with big brand stores", No. You don't go to the head of the class.

Posted 5 months ago #
Mr Man

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NEOBuckeye said:
My understanding is the West Broad Target Greatland was slated to be closed when the first Hilliard/Hilliard-Rome area Target store opened. For some reason unknown to me, the company has opted to keep it open.

Per an obnoxious ex-girlfriend (is there any other kind?), the W. Broad store is completely paid for, Target owns the building, so it will "never" close. Possibly used as a training store.

Given the obnoxiousness of said ex, and the fact that I have never worked for a Target, take it with a grain of salt. This person hated being wrong, though.

Posted 5 months ago #
Walker
The KLD / Downtown
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upstairs said:
Where is a downtown business association that can meet the demands of the downtown community through appealing to local business designs? Having a national chain oversee any community is a bad deal for the local economy. I am too lazy right now to search out and produce figures but it's not good.

Area Commissions review and approve (or deny) development plans, not business associations. The Downtown Commission oversees design review for Downtown:

http://columbus.gov/commission.aspx?id=16484

upstairs said:
"cool factor with big brand stores", No. You don't go to the head of the class.

I think most people would like to see certain big brand stores not for coolness factor, but for functionality. I doubt anyone would be on board with a big box suburban-style store with a massive parking lot.

Is New York City a cool city? I think most would say yes. Does it contain "big brand stores". Most definitely.

Posted 5 months ago #
upstairs
Old Town East
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Good point. In hindsight, I would welcome Target as I essentially live downtown and it would be nice to have such a shopping option.

Ideally, more of everything in the downtown area would be great. While welcoming Target, I would jump over them to get to a local based business if they had similar offerings.

Posted 5 months ago #
BuenaVista
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buckeye54 said:
With what? I was responding to the likelihood of target putting a 100,000sq ft superstore in an urban are like columbus. It certainly is much more likely that they could put a smaller store in dt columbus.What exactly are you referring to? Columbus is no different then alot of other cities that have urban big box retailers. If the conditions are right companies will come. Retailers are concerned about their appearance and profits and most could care less if they are in the burbs or in urban areas as long as they make profits. Nationally, the perception of the majority of retailers with the exception of a select few (walmart) is that all things being equal they would enjoy a more urban location because it gives them more publicity and notoriety then suburban locations. Being in a central city or hip neighborhood gives them much more of a cool factor then being in a lifestyle center or suburban sprawl.

I feel like they could put in a super 100,000sqf Target in the city, but not downtown. The one I am thinking of in Chicago is not downtown, but a little bit south of the Loop. The complex is very "urban" in design, and I think a complex like this would be great for Timkin.

Posted 5 months ago #
BuenaVista
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I know this picture is not even of the Target, but the Target is in the same complex. A complex like this would be great for Timkin.

Posted 5 months ago #
BuenaVista
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Here is the Target

Posted 5 months ago #
OSUPhantom
The Ohio State University
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I really hope this trend catches on with nationwide retail and chains. Not only are the designs much nicer then the typical suburban target but this can go a long way to reverse the exodus to the suburbs and encourage more people to city urban areas as convenient places to live.

Posted 5 months ago #
Walker
The KLD / Downtown
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OSUPhantom said:
I really hope this trend catches on with nationwide retail and chains.

The trend will continue only if there is money to be made. While some stores (like Target) seem willing to go above and beyond on design aesthetics to compliment an urban environment, I imagine they could probably care less (from the corporate level) about reversing suburban migration trends. If anything, I'm guessing they would want an urban store to compliment their suburban stores, and not draw customers away from it.

Posted 5 months ago #
cheap
Westgate
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exactly. Target couldn't care less where the location is,only if it's profitable.

i really am surprised Wexner hasn't opened an Express store downtown somewhere

btw,Target really blew it building that store at Mill Run in Hilliard

the Upper Arlington folks aren't showing up like they thought they would.

Posted 5 months ago #
Walker
The KLD / Downtown
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cheap said:
i really am surprised Wexner hasn't opened an Express store downtown somewhere

Express was spun off from Limited Brands four years ago.

Posted 5 months ago #