Okay, maybe this proves I’m ready to become a mommyblogger, because this will be my first ever post about Target. But DUDE. Have you ever been to a fancy Target? I had no idea such a thing existed. Last night after work, I went to the Target in Redmond (where Microsoft and it’s Money lives). It was SO DIFFERENT from the one in Tacoma. The first thing I saw was the Starbucks, much different from the greasy snackbar ours has. Next, I grabbed a basket, and even THOSE were fancy! They weren’t the standard square, red, plastic kind we have, these were bean shaped and had a fancy, padded handle! As I ventured further in, I felt like I was in some alternate universe. Everything was familiar but SO MUCH BETTER. You know how our purse section consists of two crappy aisles with mostly old lady bags? This Target had a whole Purse Area and they were CUTE. Like, proper bags, that did not look Target-y at all. And the clothes section was at least twice the size of ours and had way cuter stuff. WHAT THE HELL?
I feel like Target is unfairly judging Tacoma. Why can’t WE have a fancy Target? It’s not like ours is small, it’s your standard Anytown, USA giant complex thing.
Anyway, if you happen to be a connoisseur of fine Targets like I am, I recommend checking out a big city’s or rich suburb’s Target ASAP. It’ll blow your mind.
Hey lady, Target is unfairly judging Tacoma? Where did you get the idea that Tacoma is sophisticated?
Ha!
I suppose you’re right. But aren’t we sophisticated enough for a fancy TARGET for godssakes?!
we are hood, we dont need no stupid purses
I hear you. I went to a Target the other day and it wasn’t as nice as the Target by my mom and dad’s. But even theirs isn’t as nice as on-line Target. I’m a sucker for Isaac Mizrahi cocktail dresses and on-line, they have an even greater variety. It’s a little gift I give myself whenever I go home.
I think you hit the nail on the head with it’s not Tacoma that isn’t worthy, but Redmond that has the whoa, got money demographic. But, I think your Target should at least splurge on nicer, cushioned, bean-shaped baskets.
I am so excited by your news and by December, no one will remember that that’s what AJ’s sixth child’s name is. She’ll probably be pregnant again or adopting, anyways.
I’m so wanting a field trip now. I would LOVE to visit a fancy Target!
Dude. Am totally going on the field trip with you. I miss the fancy Target that was right across the street from where I worked in San Diego. It was two stories and had a snazzy SHOPPING CART ELEVATOR that was just fascinating to watch go up and down (easily entertained, I know). I’m LOVING Target and their inexpensive summer clothes right now. Bring it Target haters. I don’t have a job at the moment and there aren’t a lot of local sources for plus sizes. I eat your hate like love.
1. The Federal Way Target is pretty fancy. It has a Starbucks, too.
2. Ask Noreen about the awesome Target she visited in San Jose. It was two stories. It was in the same parking lot as a Nordstrom Rack.
3. Yes, Tacoma could use some upgradin’. Or just a good, thorough cleaning.
While we’re on the subject of Target, I bought so many great (non-maternity) shirts there while pregnant that I am still wearing now that work great for nursing/post-preggo flabby middle shirts! Advice: buy shirts that will work for nursing after you have the little one! My fave are wrap style, button-front, and stretchy deep v necks with a nursing tank underneath. And my Target has a Starbucks and the cart escalator, but no fancy bean-shaped baskets.
Hee hee … I think Zesty’s blog was visited by two Lost Boys today.
and I will say, Target is (or at least was) in the same parking lot as Nordstrom Rack down in Clackamas, OR, but I din’t think that one us a Lux Target either … but it has Bern awhile since I’ve been back.
my local target = nightmares
*shiver*
I hear what you’re saying, Jenny. I do. But it’s not what it seems. Let me help set a few things straight.
As you know, I live in Minneapolis where Target Corp is headquartered. I work across the street from Target HQ and the flagship store which I visit often (& is 2 stories tall, but no bigger than my favorite Target in good old NE Mpls). I know far too many people who work for Target in the Corporate sector (including my mom’s manfriend who manages east coast construction) and I take care of far too many Target folk at work (including CEO Bob Ulrich – he tips 100% by the way). The CEO part means nothing, but the rest, I don’t know, just qualifying myself to be a know it all I guess.
So here it goes, my knowing it all..
Target is growing incredibly fast & is a pretty innovative corporation. The Starbuck’s thing is recent (within the last 2 years) and all new & newly remodeled Targets have a one in store. Same with the cool, chic baskets. And, did you notice the interesting & very Targetesque red spheres outside the store in Redmond? I’m sure they were there. Those are at all new/newly remodeled stores too.
The other thing is that Target is currently remodeling &/or rebuilding a number of older stores. The first Target store ever (in Roseville, MN) was torn down & rebuilt as a SuperTarget last year. It has a Starbuck’s, better selection, and the red spheres outside. It didn’t before. It was kind of a dump in comparison to what it is now (it would have made the T-Town store look sparkly). There are two other Targets in the Mpls/St. Paul area that recently experienced such fates, and notably, one in a really sketchy part of St. Paul. Also, the Target that I favor (NE Minneapolis, Quarry Store) was built a mere ten years ago and was recently completely remodeled. The remodel expanded the store immensely (including more room in women’s clothing!!) added a Starbuck’s & even got the red spheres, not to mention the chic baskets and even nicer carts!
According to my trusted & very knowledgeable source (my mom’s manfriend), Target plans to rebuild or remodel all stores every 10 years to keep everything pretty standard & updated (they are a corporation after all). So, the T-Town Target is likely to be on the list for such a remodel soon.
In the mean time, be grateful you don’t work and live in Target Town – it’s everywhere…their new office furniture store (Target Commerical Interiors) recently took over my beloved Crate & Barrel! And you’d be like me: knowing way too much & ranting about it for far too long on your good friend’s blog.
sorry.
xo
They saved me last night with a dress I could get away with at Zoobilee, nowhere else I know of around here where that wouldn’t take 3 hours of trying things on and suffering over price tags.
Our Target is not bad. The one we used to go to all the time in El Cerrito, CA, was the only one driveable from the East Bay and would always look like a crazed crowd of bridezillas had just ravaged it. Also, I prefer the Tacoma one to the Lakewood one which doesn’t have as broad a selection.
There’s a 2 story Target in North Seattle. But it’s still a target – I wouldn’t say it’s more fancy than Tacoma’s. BUT target is building grocery stores into some of there stores back east. Now something like THAT could be interesting in our little downtown.
There are two Targets within driving distance from me. One is fancy the other … is not. Guess which one I shop at. GUESS!
But just wait until you encounter a fancy WalMart. THEN you’re boots will be knocked OFF!
Ohh…a fancy Target! Hopefully my local Target is at the top of the Update List!
oooohhh… so many red-and-white-concentric-circled thoughts swirling in my head right now!
[[First, Ms. J., as a newcomer to the blogoshpere, and particularly your cozy little corner, therein: Niiiice. Bite-sized, well-versed and grammatically correct randomness that relates JUST enough to my own sphere of reality to entertain without being the same random stuff I might see elsewhere! Hooorah! Book yourself a new frequent reader.]]
Ok, I’ll go with this one: I can’t decide to respond with “What the Hell Safeway?!” OR “What the Hell, Tacoma?!”
The FancyRedmondTarget vs. UnFancyTacomaTarget immediately reminded me of the *ser*ious grocery issues in downtown T-Town. Yup, yup, I know, it IS downtown. Lots of apartments. Lots of students and un-domestic single young folks. Lots of rental houses, beater cars, and subsidized housing. It’s not a suburban U.P. strip-mall-polis where 2-3 kid families in Volvo Wagons (sorry, A., it’s to make the *point*!) swing in and out with ease, transporting massive amounts of “weekly groceries” on the way to the organic petstore.
But. If you DO live downtown, and you want to grab a few things without making a day of it, your choices are pretty slim: Ignoring the plethora of gas-station and mini-marts that can certainly do juice and beer like nobody’s buisness, but don’t carry actual fresh foods, what do you have? The overtly shady “Save-A-Lot” (or is it just me? Happy to be convinced otherwise…); the smaller, chicer, but noticeably spendier Stadium Thriftway; or the dirtiest Safeway known to man.
Why does this Safeway consistently have the worst produce, the most banged up cereal boxes, the oldest milk, the biggest selection of powdered dinners, and the most suspicious smell upon entry? Why does everything in the store look like it fell off the truck on the way to some other Safeway… perhaps in a nicer neighborhood? Even the Proctor Safeway is much nicer. Is it a matter of “where the money is?”
BTW, Targets are not a good indicator of mommyblogging. I am a HUGE fan of Target! It’s very feng shui (to me, at least), and I’m rarely buying anything mommy-esque. Alas, all Targets are far from where I live.
I TOTALLY JUST LOST 17 RESPONSES. Will do this is chunks this time. GRRR.
intacoma: Um, ok!
misskate: I suppose I shouldn’t complain about my Target when there are some poor folks living the glamorous life abroad with no Targets at all!
Jenny: I’m telling you! It’s worth the trip!
ensie: HIGH FIVE, my friend
Kate: Target and Nordstrom Rack in the same complex?!? Be still my heart!
beth c: Yeah, I keep waiting for Target to be my friend with maternity clothes, but they are kind of sucking right now. I have high hopes for the fall line.
chickadee: I know! Iwas all self conscious when they were the only two! I was like, do I just sound like a consumerist asshole? Doesn’t evberyone wat to talk about Target? Then, thankfully, all you beautiful ladies swooped in.
camille: Really? I’m so sorry!
dahli: WOW! Thanks for all that awesome info! I KNEW you’d have the goods. I suppose I will patiently wait for my Target’s remodel. I wonder if I could wriet to someone and get us moved up in the queue?
jennyum: Target totally saved me with a dress to that wedding a few posts down, too.
Morgan: Yeah, we used to live near that Target, and it’s got two stories and a parking lot and whatnot, but it is otherwise unremarkable. The one in Redmond had a grocery store, too!
moo: Ooh! Lucky you, with your fancy Target! Jealous.
Brooke: I know, right? Who knew there was such a thing?
emilie: HI! Welcome! Dude. The gocery store situation is DIRE. We call that “the ghetto Safeway,” and yes, it’s totally lame and classist that it is so crappy. The one by mom’s house has been remodeled twice in the last 5 years. We usually shop at the Top Foods, which conveniently located next door to… Target!
Rona: Hi friend! We should include a Target trip into your Tacoma visits. Or bett yet, meet at this mythical fancy Target in Feseral Way.
A former co-worker of mine in my retail clerk days opined that Target was the perfect destination for a cheap date. But yeah, it’s no fun when it’s a drab, dingy Target. Hope yours gets an upgrade soon.
The one up in Northgate is hard to find and getting into the parking lot’s kind of a pain, but it is two-story and has the awesome cart escalator.
Wade: Target would only be a cheap date if your could resist it’s charms. When SB takes me to Target, it’s usually not cheap.