I wasn’t disappointed, or “wowed.” It was OK. I’ll go from time to time, but in the end it was just another big box…..
THE OTHER MORNING Kevin Coupe, consultant to and guru about, all things grocery and retail, posted a video of a new Target store that opened near his home in Connecticut. Target had taken over an abandoned Walmart store with about 120,000 square feet.
Kevin, to say the least, was not impressed. He found a store with empty shelves, product placement that made no sense and a grocery section tucked away without its own entrance. His bottom-line verdict was that Target had blown it big time if the goal was to attract customers and build any sort of brand loyalty.
The video reminded me that just a few blocks from my apartment in West Chester, PA, Target was doing something similar. It had taken over a 120,000 former Kmart, which had stood empty for years. After what seemed like forever, they finally finished the redo and Aug. 17 was the official opening, with a “soft” opening a few days before.
A “soft” opening for a business is an unannounced one, maybe with some invitations sent out, so the staff and management can find bugs and get them fixed before the big day.
So, off to Target I went. I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised. But not put in awe, not wowed – more on that later.
The parking lot (shared with a Planet Fitness) was packed but inside, with wide aisles, the store did not seem crowded. I went straight to the CVS pharmacy. Kevin found his CVS in Target closed, with nary a sign or clue about when it might open. Mine was open, though obviously not fully stocked in terms of Rx medications. But, the pharmacist was there.
I had a Rite-Aid a one block walk from my apartment but lost it to the firm’s collapse. Rite-Aid’s records were bought by CVS and that chain gave me a “home” store that was further away than I wanted, so I was pleased with the Target location. The pharmacist looked up all my records, made some updates, gave me her card and told me to give her information to all my doctors. I was impressed, and told her so.
Then I wandered. Like Kevin, I found some empty shelves but not many. One set featured items for sale so I figured may they had sold out during the soft opening. Kevin was pleased to find his CT Target was selling LPs. We aging hipsters in particular do like our vinyl. But, Kevin also noticed there were no record players for sale in that section, a brain-dead sales ommission. Nor, did he find any in electronics. He finally found a couple in home goods. I never did find them in my store. Kevin is a few years younger than I so obviously has a sharper eye.
I DECIDED TO give the grocery a test and my short verdict was: I won’t be using it. Compared to the Acme at the other end of the shopping center and an Aldi two blocks or so away, the selection was slim. I later stopped at Aldi’s to do some price checking and overall, Aldi’s won. Target’s “target” grocery audience seems to me to be people who don’t dine with a lot of variety so are fine with picking stuff up while they are on an errand to other parts of the store. I will note that our Target has a drive-up area for groceries.
Several check-out lanes were open and there was a self-checkout option. When a Target opened in my former town of Huntsville, TX it had plenty of open checkout lanes but a couple of months after the grand opening, it was down to a couple, so the jury is out.
Our Target also has a Starbuck’s and a small optical with a generic sign over an interior door reading “eye exams.” I’ve consulted to private practice optometrists for a number of years and without going into nuts and bolts, I’d suggest that if you really want to take your eye health and vision seriously, pass on the big boxes, including Target.
So, end of trip impressions? Really liked the pharmacist. Beyond that? Well, it was a big box. And I guess that brings me to my central observation.
When was the last time you were wowed by any big box? I can’t remember. I will go to Target because other options are a good drive away. It probably will pull me off Amazon for some items. But in terms of anything like brand loyalty or excitement, nah.
As for groceries, I don’t expect much anymore. I go to Acme and Aldi and get what I need without any level of anticipation or excitement. There is a Wegman’s a bit of a drive away that is fun, but it’s far enough I don’t often go. Last time I got excited about a grocery store? A few years ago in New Bern, NC on a visit to our daughter’s in-laws. Harris Teeter opened its only mega-store. I can say it did “wow” me and if I lived in New Bern, I’d go there and to a degree, price really wouldn’t matter.
As someone who has worked with businesses around branding, customer service, I wonder what has changed. I really don’t find much of anything anywhere today that excites me. Maybe I have turned into a grumpy old man.
Or, could it be that after the shut-in years of COVID and our turn to delivery of just about everything, we have gotten used to not being surprised, to feeling a sense of belonging, community or even coolness when we walk through the doors of a business?
Dunno. My Target wasn’t as disappointing as Kevin’s, but it didn’t light any fires. It’s a big box close to home. I’ll go from time to time, particularly for the pharmacy. That’s about it.
Wake me up when excitement returns to retail.
Rich Heiland is a retired journalist and semi-retired consultant, trainer and public speaker. During his journalism career he was a reporter, editor, publisher, college instructor, part of a Pulitzer Prize-winning team and a National Newspaper Association Columnist of the Year honoree. He also writes the intodementia.com blog about his family’s experience with dementia. He lives in West Chester, PA and can be reached at [email protected].
The HEB chain in Texas has a good following. There is a reason that goes beyond products, price and convenience. My sense is that HEB employees like their jobs. They are engaged with their work. They feel that they are an important part of the company. I have gotten to know the store manager and members of the management staff. They acknowledge me when I am shop there. The employees are helpful when I need to find something. I don’t feel like I am intruding on them when I ask a question.
HEB is not a public corporation traded on the stock market. I once told the store manager that I would buy stock if HEB were to go public. He made an interesting comment. He said that if HEB became a publicly traded company the management style would change. The focus of their operation would shift from service to meeting the quarterly financial goals of disinterested and remote board.
Something to think about.