Big Box Retailers in the Triangle... bad news?

[urbanesq]

Maybe an IKEA-although I don't know if this really counts as a big box.

IKEA, YES! That way I don't have to drive to Potomic Mills anymore.

They're just now getting one in Atlanta, so I'm guessing Raleigh is a long way off, if ever.

My wife says we need a Trader Joe's.

[dmccall]

IKEA is a GINORMOUS box.

If these big boxes didn't do what they do well, they wouldn't be big boxes. Try going to Marc's hardware in Ridgewood and then go to Home Depot. It is insane how much better HD is.

[NoVA20176]

IKEA, YES! That way I don't have to drive to Potomic Mills anymore.

They're just now getting one in Atlanta, so I'm guessing Raleigh is a long way off, if ever.

My wife says we need a Trader Joe's.

You drove all the way from Raleigh to Northern VA to go to IKEA? Yikes!

[DanRNC]

I heard that there is always a steady stream of people making this trek from Raleigh-Durham to IKEA.

[DigitalSky]

I heard that there is always a steady stream of people making this trek from Raleigh-Durham to IKEA.

yes there is. i know a few ppl who have

[urbanvb]

Did I hear once that Ikea was looking at Charlotte or maybe it was more like folks were wishing they would..

[DanRNC]

I think it was the latter.

[NCMike1981]

where exactly is the Target, I haven't been to the mall in a month or two but I don't recall seeing a Target rising from the dirt. Is it actually on Fayetteville Street or is it behind the mall on a side road somewhere?

*edit* I must have downtown Raleigh on the brain or something, I meant Fayetteville Rd, not Fayetteville St.

[DigitalSky]

where exactly is the Target, I haven't been to the mall in a month or two but I don't recall seeing a Target rising from the dirt. Is it actually on Fayetteville Street or is it behind the mall on a side road somewhere?

Found it

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=8210+Renaiss...25766&t=h&hl=en

thanks to Target.com + Google Maps (obviously the satellite view is older)

[NCMike1981]

Ah ok I never go down that road lol I'll have to take a gander next time I'm at the mall (which will probably be in the post Thanksgiving madness).

Wow that is an old satellite view. That area across Fayetteville Road from the mall, where the woods are in the picture is now a shopping center. I have some video I recorded a few years back from the news when Southpoint was in the approval stages and I had forgotten how much opposition there was, and how much money mall owners had to dish out for road improvements. It was also strange to see shots of the land as woods with a dirt trail going through it, I-40 as a 2 lane in either direction interstate with no construction going on, and of course South Square.

Alot has changed in 5 or so years.

[DigitalSky]

So here's what the Triangle area's SuperTarget total comes to:

Raleigh - 1

Durham - 2

Apex - 1

Wake Forest - 1

any other Super Targets planned or on the way for the Triangle?

[Tayfromcarolina]

Think that's about it I used to work for target until the end of last year and they made a major rush in the triangle. up from 4 regular stores in 2001 to 7 regular stores, 1 greatland store(brier creek) and 5 super targets in the last 4 years. One more store is planned that I know of and that will be in Knightdale next fall. As long as they got to it before Walmart- Lord knows I detest walmart, The monotonony of it all. At least target spices up their looks architecturally look at the North Hills and Triangle Towne Center stores.

[DigitalSky]

I've never been to the Greatland Target... what's it like?

[paletexan]

I've never been to the Greatland Target... what's it like?

The one in Brier Creek is a regular target+grocery store minus "fresh" foods (i.e. bakery, deli, produce, etc). However, I have been to a target greatlands in suburban Atlanta, and it had everything a super wal-mart would have.

[ncwebguy]

I worked at Target from Oct 2001-2002 and talk there at the time was:

- Target went to the former South Sqare location in return for being able to open at Southpoint

- Target bent over backwards to get into Apex (first big box there) wal-mart wanted in for a while, but target's "upscale" appeal helped it in. hopefully walmart will be happy with the crecent commons/waverly place location.

- wal-mart is big in knightdale already, but they wanted to be as close to the 64/540 intersection as possible

I think after Knightdale, Target is happy with its presence in the area. I wouldn't be surprised if "old" stores at Lynn, Capital, and/or US 70 in Garner are closed, though Target seems to like to saturate an area to keep inventory up. They are happier sending guests to another nearby Target store than to the competitors.

It was never explicitly said, but North Hills is sort of a test for "urban" stores in the southeast. Would people find it without a big parking lot right out in front and presence on a major road? Would high end retail compliment or hurt? Could an established neighborhood support it/be affected by traffic generated?

This is total speculation/partial wishful thinking, but I think target would be a good fit with a similar store in downtown raleigh in the south end, part of a mixed use vertical village (target, movie theater, restaurants at "ground level", parking hidden inside/below, office/hotel/condos/apartments towering above) bounded by MLK, McDowell, South, and Salsisbury St.

streets:

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=raleigh+nc&l...,0.019039&hl=en

satelite:

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=raleigh+nc&l...19039&t=k&hl=en

Current occupants are a teachers association, the gas company (where kindly street crosses the tracks) and dirt surface parking for the Kennedy Center. Topography changes created by MLK, McDowell, and the train tracks (at grade through most of this area) leaves some of the area undeveloped, but can build above/around them.

The tracks also provide a potential stop for EastTrans to get to the convention center/memorial auditorium area too...

[DigitalSky]

Interesting about North Hills

And it'd be cool to see something on the southside as you mentioned

[StevenRocks]

I went to the new Target at Southpoint last night. It's nothing out of the ordinary, but it is a beautiful store on the outside.

I also saw the new REI at North Hills and the Cheescake Factory at Southpoint. In other news, Crabtree also has Lacoste and The Levi's Store open.

[StevenRocks]

I wouldn't be surprised if "old" stores at Lynn, Capital, and/or US 70 in Garner are closed, though Target seems to like to saturate an area to keep inventory up. They are happier sending guests to another nearby Target store than to the competitors.

The Lynn Road store is looking a little ragged these days, and some of the registers have been removed. Not good signs.

[urbanvb]

Never heard of REI before. What kind of store is that?

[Tayfromcarolina]

Lynn road Target is about to undergo a renovation. Simalar to the one done a few months ago at the 1st Garner Target which was built in 98/99 also. Target does not play they renovate on average every 10 years or so. Whcih is more than some others especially K-mart. Ewww.

[Raleighmark]

Never heard of REI before. What kind of store is that?

REI = Recreational Equipment Inc. a somewhat upscale store that sells camping equipment and other

[DigitalSky]

Lynn road Target is about to undergo a renovation. Simalar to the one done a few months ago at the 1st Garner Target which was built in 98/99 also. Target does not play they renovate on average every 10 years or so. Whcih is more than some others especially K-mart. Ewww.

Why does this Target store have the sign behind glass as if almost hiding it?

[NCMike1981]

That was the 1st ever Target I ever went into. or saw in real life (Lynn Rd, the 1 by the movie theater). I liked the glass sign thing, and remember seeing the bullseye sign and being like "what store is that?" for a moment. I loved the reds inside, and the neon lights on the wall, and it was so new and clean compared to Wal-Marts (this was right b4 the invasion of the supercenters, back when alot of the wal-marts around were 10ish yrs old and showing their age). Of course now Targets are nothing special but back then I was really impressed.

[Jones_]

This is total speculation/partial wishful thinking, but I think target would be a good fit with a similar store in downtown raleigh in the south end, part of a mixed use vertical village (target, movie theater, restaurants at "ground level", parking hidden inside/below, office/hotel/condos/apartments towering above) bounded by MLK, McDowell, South, and Salsisbury St.

streets:

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=raleigh+nc&l...,0.019039&hl=en

satelite:

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=raleigh+nc&l...19039&t=k&hl=en

Current occupants are a teachers association, the gas company (where kindly street crosses the tracks) and dirt surface parking for the Kennedy Center. Topography changes created by MLK, McDowell, and the train tracks (at grade through most of this area) leaves some of the area undeveloped, but can build above/around them.

The tracks also provide a potential stop for EastTrans to get to the convention center/memorial auditorium area too...

That's the kind of mind-stretching thinking I love to see in this forum...I envisioned a similar setup with a Kroger (great health food section) or Whole Foods as the anchor at North and Harrington between Capital and Glenwood South. The topography of this parking lot would yield great visibility towards capital heading into downtown and the density in this area is just about right to support a full fledged grocery store.

[StevenRocks]

Why does this Target store have the sign behind glass as if almost hiding it?

I think it was a stylistic device the developer employed for the shopping center. The Lowe's next door has the same glass storefront on its entry, and not coincidentally, the same color scheme as Target.