Target’s small-format stores focus on grab-and-go convenience

Minneapolis-based Target Corp. said last November that it would open hundreds of small, flexible-format stores in dense urban areas and on college campuses. This week, the latest such store opened on the campus of University of California – Irvine (UCI).  

Approximately one-third of the store is dedicated to groceries, which are expected to bring in 50 percent of sales, according to an article published yesterday in the Orange County Register.

The 20,000-square-foot UCI location features an expanded grab-and-go prepared food area, a 24-foot cold beer section that includes craft labels, a CVS Pharmacy and a click-and-collect center for orders placed online. The store carries electronics and a selected assortment of dorm and apartment merchandise but not furniture or children’s clothing.

Target currently operates more than 30 flex-format stores, which are one-fifth to one-third the size of the retailer’s traditional stores. The new concept is part of a $7 billion corporate initiative to revitalize stagnant sales, one based on the understanding that consumers today prioritize convenience and fresh food.

Readers can keep up with new store openings on Target’s website.