Target Express’ Next Stop: Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA — Target could soon become a common site in the City of Brotherly Love.

According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, Target Corp. is seeking lease deals in the Center City and University Center sections of the city. The Minneapolis-based retailer could open as many as four Target Express locations in Philadelphia.

Target Express stores are approximately 20,000 square feet, much smaller than the company's traditional stores, which typically range between 80,000 and 130,000 square feet. The goal is to draw Baby Boomers and young professionals who became loyal Target customers in the suburbs, but have since moved to central Philadelphia, reported the newspaper.

As CSNews Online previously reported, Target opened its first Target Express location on July 23 in the Dinkytown section of Minneapolis. This Target Express differs from convenience stores as it does not offer made-to-order foodservice items, nor does it have beverage fountains or freshly brewed coffee, as several larger Target stores do.

The Target Express location in Minneapolis also does not offer lottery services, but it does feature a pharmacy, a large health and beauty aids section, office supplies, multiple aisles of household products, and a section called “Tech” where customers can sign up for cellular phone plans and purchase related phone accessories.

It is too early to determine if the Philadelphia Target Express locations will have a different product mix than the Minneapolis flagship store.

"We continue to look for new opportunities to serve our Philadelphia guests," Kristen Emmons, spokeswoman for Target, told the news outlet.

For 2015, Target already has plans to open five more Target Express locations. Three will be located in the San Francisco Bay area, one in St. Paul, Minn., and one in San Diego.

On a separate topic, Target announced Thursday it will shutter its entire Canadian retail division and take a $5.4-billion writedown as a result of the transaction.