Retailer chain Target opened its new location on Hillsborough Street to the public for the first time on Wednesday, following a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Tuesday. After over a year of planning and construction, Target will aim to provide convenience and a quality shopping experience for NC State students and staff as well as the Raleigh community.
“It has definitely been a lot of hard work,” said Erica Taylor, the store’s team leader and former NC State student. “I can’t thank my team enough. There is a lot that goes into opening even a smaller store like this one.”
On Tuesday, Target welcomed the community with an open-house look at the store with cupcakes, live music, games, giveaways and coupons. The event also allowed people to see all the amenities and items available for purchase.
“This Target is a small-format community store,” Taylor said. “What that means is that we have goods that are curated to the community. Being right across from NC State is obviously unique to us so we have Wolfpack apparel, grab-and-go grocery items, dorm essentials …”
As a result of its location, the new store caters especially to the students of NC State.
“[Target] brings a sense of an urban, student feel,” said Madeline Luvak, a Target team member. “It is targeted much more to the students. We have Wolfpack gear, Ramen noodles, pretty much everything everyone loves. It is definitely a much more affordable price for students than the surrounding areas.”
Although it is not a traditional-sized store, the location on Hillsborough Street features all the common necessities for everyday life much closer to campus such as groceries, clothing, cosmetics, electronics, home decor and appliances.
“It is definitely a lot more convenient,” Taylor said. “We got pretty much a full grocery section so someone can just walk over from campus and get any everyday essentials they need in addition to home goods, makeup and pharmacy. So the convenience is probably the biggest in for being right across from NC State and having a location for students to shop in.”
The reactions to the new Target have been primarily positive among students and organizations on Hillsborough Street especially with the stores’ involvement in $6,000 worth of grants to three local nonprofit organizations and participation in events on Hillsborough.
“We have been very welcomed by the Hillsborough Street community,” Taylor said. “We were able to be part of the NC State homecoming parade and Packapalooza. We have a great partnership with the Live It Up! Hillsborough Street team, and we were also able to give several new store grants to organizations around the community. We are just really excited to be able to give back to the community.”
Upon the stores opening this morning, the public fascination in the Target was evident with several interested people giving the store a look for the first time.
“The response has been incredible,” Luvak said. “I have heard from friends that are students that are so excited to have a store. There are so many people that are here and excited for this Target.”
Jacob Lewis, a second-year studying microbiology, echoed the enthusiasm for the new store.
“The store was really nice and a lot bigger and had more items than I thought it would,” Lewis said. “I will go there regularly because I can just walk there and carry my groceries back to campus.”
Another positive aspect of the new location is the addition of new jobs in the area. The Hillsborough Street Target store will employ approximately 65 team members, with a large majority of those jobs going to students in the area.
“We have been able to create several jobs with this store,” Taylor said. “About 70 percent of our team is students from NC State, Meredith and Shaw Universities. It’s fun to be able to see and hear their excitement for the store opening up.”
Even with the construction and opening of the Target complete, there is still a feeling of nostalgia remembering The Alley bowling center that had been in the location of the new store since the 1960s. Target paid tribute to the bowling alley with a mural that commemorates the former business.
“Seeing the graphics here on the wall that are a historic nod to The Alley and being a part of that process … is super exciting for me,” Taylor said.
The Alley was a memorable aspect of Hillsborough Street for several decades; however, some feel like the new store was a positive trade.
“The bowling alley is gone so we lost a part of the culture on Hillsborough,” Lewis said. “But convenience in a new store is nicer than an older, run-down bowling alley.”
In a process that lasted just about a year, Target has opened its new location tailored to the NC State community and invites the public to share in its grand opening ceremony with giveaways and highlighting of the unique features of the store departments.
“Our grand opening is Sunday, Nov. 12,” Taylor said. “Target is a big convenience that didn’t exist on Hillsborough Street, [and] we are really excited having a location for students to shop.”
The Target on Hillsborough Street had its grand opening ceremony on Tuesday. The store replaced the popular bowling center The Alley which was a staple to NC State culture, but this Target has reused many things from The Alley including old lanes and artwork from within the bowling alley.
