Target unveils plans for Salt Lake store
The retailer plans to open its two Hawaii stores in March 2009
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Target Corp. plans to open its Salt Lake store in tandem with its previously announced store in Kapolei in March 2009.
The company presented plans for a store at the former Costco Wholesale site to the Aliamanu/Salt Lake Neighborhood Board yesterday evening.
Both stores are expected to measure about 160,000 square feet, some of which will be devoted to storeroom space.
Target, which is looking for still more store sites in Hawaii, expects to feature merchandise from local vendors and hire an average of 200 to 250 employees per store.
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Target hopes to open its Salt Lake store and its Kapolei store at the same time, in March 2009.
Representatives from Minneapolis-based Target Corp. presented their plans yesterday evening to the Aliamanu/Salt Lake Neighborhood Board.
The Target store is expected to occupy the former Costco Wholesale that closed back in 2002, and has since remained empty. Target will use the existing structure as well as add on to it.
VENDORS
Hawaii vendors interested in selling their products through Target stores may call the company at 612-696-7500.
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"We're looking forward to it," said Target spokeswoman Brie Heath. "We just wanted to express our intentions for that site and listen to feedback."
Heath did not have specific details on the store yet, but confirmed the company purchased a parcel there from the MacNaughton Group, and secured a long-term lease from Kamehameha Schools.
Both Target stores -- at Kapolei and Salt Lake -- should measure about 160,000 square feet total, including a back storeroom that will allow the company to stock more goods on-site.
In March, Target representatives presented their plans to open a store at Kapolei Commons before the Makakilo/ Kapolei/Honokai Hale Neighborhood Board.
There will be no company distribution site in Hawaii. Merchandise for the Hawaii stores will likely come from distribution centers in California or Washington state.
Target's merchandise team is looking for Hawaii vendors to partner with, said Heath, and has a hotline that they can call. Target will probably feature a small souvenirs section in its stores.
Target typically hires between 200 to 250 employees per store.
The company continues to seek out other sites, which includes the neighbor islands, but nothing has been finalized yet, said Heath. Given Kauai's recent county legislation limiting development to 75,000 square feet, however, Target probably won't be looking at any sites there.
She said that Target typically looks for a trade area with a population of 100,000. Target's typical shopper is female, in her early 40s, with kids, a college degree and an average household income of $56,000.
Top-selling merchandise categories at Target are the fashions, health and beauty goods and pharmacy products, said Heath. Every three months, a new designer is rotated into the fashion offerings to keep them fresh.
Most members of the Salt Lake neighborhood board welcomed the national retailer to central Oahu.
"Personally, my views are that it's long overdue," said Steve Glanstein, pro tem chair of the Salt Lake neighborhood board "We're excited because this will provide a substantial cost savings for people in my neighborhood. This might also provide a mini-resurrection for the businesses that were hurt when Costco moved out."
Within a mile and a half, there is a Navy Exchange, while a Kmart store is down the street.
"I think Target did their research well," said board member Dennis Egge. "I'll go there and shop, and my wife, she likes Target. It will be an opportunity to buy gift certificates and send them to relatives on the mainland, where there are plenty of Targets."
Heath said Target wants to be a good community partner in Hawaii. Target typically donates 5 percent of its income to non-profits, with a focus on arts, education and family violence prevention.
Currently, only three U.S. states -- Hawaii, Alaska and Vermont -- have no Targets. That will soon be reduced to one, if Target carries out its plan of opening a Target in Alaska in October 2008, and the two Targets in Hawaii in 2009.
