Target’s 2021 Stores: New Designs, Smaller Formats

Target is just one retailer that has experimented with new store formats as the role of brick-and-mortar has continued to evolve throughout the pandemic. As consumers shopped online, retail locations became fulfillment centers as well. Target stores fulfill about 95% of orders, executives said this year.

However, 28 out of the 32 new stores were small formats in places where traditional stores wouldn’t fit. Most of the smaller-scale Target stores are located in denser areas, such as near the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the Upper West Side of Manhattan.

The retailer also made updates in its new store locations to better serve its growing same-day services business. Target expanded the number of drive-up spots to make shopping more convenient for online orders. In addition, the new stores feature more space in the front for order pickup. 

“The goal? Making sure that no matter how you choose to shop, you can get what you need and be on your way fast,” Target wrote of its new additions in a release.

Another staple of the new stores is identity that localizes the locations. For example, there is a mural painted on the inside of the Lihue Kauai store, while the store assortments elsewhere reflect local sports teams with specific merchandise. 

Target also noted it has prioritized its health and safety measures throughout the pandemic and across new stores. Additional space has been considered to accommodate social distancing as well as plexiglass shields at the checkout lanes.