20 replies to this topic

[monsoon]

Interesting news about St. Paul getting the first urban Target.   Any ideas what this might look like?

[Jaden]

monsoon, on Jan 18 2006, 05:43 PM, said:

Interesting news about St. Paul getting the first urban Target.   Any ideas what this might look like?

Yeah. Check out the St. Paul developments thread. i posted images there.

But, it's not the first. Minneapolis got the first one three years ago, next door to Target's World Headquarters.

EDIT:    Now that I read the link.....urban SUPER Target. Basically, a grocery store inside a Target. So, it'll look exactly the same, only twice as big.

A regular Target is going downtown St. Paul, like the one in Minneapolis.

Edited by Jaden, 18 January 2006 - 07:33 PM.

[Minneapolitan]

St. Paul has the first urban Wal Mart too.

I hope Target is still planning on building a downtown St. Paul store as well.

[MrSmith]

Actually --Saint Paul will get the first Urban Super Target --not the first "Urban Target" --on the corner of I-94 and Hamline Ave.  There are actually lots of regular Target stores in urban areas.

They already have a regular target store at that location, but are going to rebuild it into a Super Target(carries groceries) .  It isn't anything special in terms of design.  They are working with the neighborhood, but have said they will not build a 2-story Super Target.  Based on the location, I expect it will not look much different than a suburban Super Target.

The really cool Target Store is the one mentioned by the previous post --in downtown Minneapolis.  I live four blocks away and could not live without it.

[Jaden]

MrSmith, on Jan 19 2006, 01:29 PM, said:

Actually --Saint Paul will get the first Urban Super Target --not the first "Urban Target" --on the corner of I-94 and Hamline Ave.  There are actually lots of regular Target stores in urban areas.

They already have a regular target store at that location, but are going to rebuild it into a Super Target(carries groceries) .  It isn't anything special in terms of design.  They are working with the neighborhood, but have said they will not build a 2-story Super Target.  Based on the location, I expect it will not look much different than a suburban Super Target.

The really cool Target Store is the one mentioned by the previous post --in downtown Minneapolis.  I live four blocks away and could not live without it.

^^ Hey, neighbor. I live across 94, in Steven's Community.

Yeah...that Target is the best thing ever. Can't wait until Best Buy comes downtown. Rumored to be in City Center, ousting Sam Goody and having a huge two-level store.

Edited by Jaden, 19 January 2006 - 05:40 PM.

[aTorridGustOfSun]

I've heard two potential locations for the downtown St Paul Target.  One of them is supposed to be near the Xcel Energy Center, which seems to be a bit too far away from the downtown core to make it convenient for people who work and live downtown.

The other proposed location (which seems to be quite a good one) is on the site of the old Wabasha Court.  Not to mention that there is already skyway access to that site, and it's across the street from Marshall Field's, making a convenient area for people to shop.  Marshall Field's is always packed around lunch time (most likely due to the convenient location) and a Target right across the street would be perfect.  I'm hoping that this proposed location will be the one.

As far as the Minneapolis Best Buy, according the Mpls-St Paul Business Journal, at this point it is nothing more than a wish of RT Rybak's.  A downtown Minneapolis Best Buy would be pretty cool, but I wouldn't get my hopes up too high.

[Jaden]

No, actually a few weeks ago both the Downtown Journal and Star Tribune had confirmation that Best Buy would be downtown by 2007. A site a Best Buy spokesperson indicated was in City Center, ousting Sam Goody and making a two-story BB. I'll try and find the link.

Kinda a link....

Edited by Jaden, 23 January 2006 - 08:07 PM.

[K6-III]

A DT Minneapolis Best Buy would be amazing for the city!

[MrSmith]

I'd like a 24 hour walgreens or CVS downtown too.

[Spartan]

Its very interesting that these very traditional big box stores are finding ways to move into the urban market.

I am interested in Walkmarts move out of suburbia. What will become of our downtowns if Walkmarts invade?

[aTorridGustOfSun]

Jaden, on Jan 23 2006, 08:01 PM, said:

No, actually a few weeks ago both the Downtown Journal and Star Tribune had confirmation that Best Buy would be downtown by 2007. A site a Best Buy spokesperson indicated was in City Center, ousting Sam Goody and making a two-story BB. I'll try and find the link.

Kinda a link....

It'll be good to get something into City Center.  I walked through there after shopping at Marshall Field's, and there were temporary walls covering many many of the storefronts.  It felt like when the Minnesota World Trade Center's retail area was undergoing a major remodel.  

I fear that Minneapolis, like Saint Paul, built too many of these "festival malls", creating more retail than the city can support.

[monsoon]

Has Walmart made it into Target's home turf?

[MrSmith]

There are walmarts in the suburbs --but none in minneapolis proper.  Before target built there incredibly awesome 2-story store downtown minneapolis, Wal-mart was maybe going to try and open a store downtown.  But, they never did.

I don't think a walmart Downtown Minneapolis would do well.  People are very loyal to Target.  Besides in survey after survey, Target actually has lower prices than Walmart.

[MrSmith]

aTorridGustOfSun, on Feb 4 2006, 01:49 PM, said:

I fear that Minneapolis, like Saint Paul, built too many of these "festival malls", creating more retail than the city can support.

Oh yes, they totally over built --especially in light of the fact that the Mall of American was also built.  That's why in the remodel of city center they actually converted some retail into office space.  Much of Gavidae now has a bank and the $125 million conservatory shopping mall was torn down in the late 90's after only 8 years.

[Snowguy716]

There's something like 65 Targets in Minnesota and something like 30 Wal-Marts.  They're slowly bleeding in.. but Target remains king!!

[MrSmith]

Target remains king because it is actually cheaper  --and they clean their stores --- a concept Wal-mart has not quite figured out.

[aTorridGustOfSun]

In the Twin Cities, Target also benefits from being the local brand and is a source of pride.

[mnpulse]

That is very true; we are all big fans of target.

[Snowguy716]

It's interesting how the big boxes in our town have affected the city as a whole.  15 years ago, Bemidji wasn't much and most of our residents travelled to Duluth and Grand Forks to do their "serious" shopping.  In 15 years with the addition of Home Depot, Target, Wal-Mart, and several other national chain department/mall-type stores, we've become a regional center for shopping.  It's estimated that around 80,000 people shop in Bemidji on a regular basis despite a regional population of only 35,000.  

We are set to become an even bigger regional center with the addition of a convention/events center by 2009 and some major hotel expansions.  Also on the docket is what will eventually be a 72 unit outlet/destination center that will include 7 restaurants, a daycare center, some office space, a proposed indoor water park, and possibly a hotel..

I'm a little wary of the project, but it is designed so that you can't see hte parking lot from the road, and the parking lots are spread out around the building with trolley service so that you don't end up having a building surrounded by a sea of parking.

Of course this all comes at a cost to smaller, outlying towns.

[nickmgray]

I think the addition of many of there "big box" stores is ruining our cities a little.  It's nice to have a convenience of a Target or a walmart, but the fact is that once a big store goes in, you can deffinitely say good-bye to the small stores.  Personally I love small shops and store fronts.  I love window shopping while walking outside not cooped up in a mall.  

Some say these big stores have helped the community on University Ave but all I see is big parking lots and a lot of traffic. I'd rather see store fronts and unban development, promoting small businesses and family owned stores.