In the year 1902, the man who shaped the face and future of Target, George D. Dayton, opened the first Dayton Dry Goods Store in Minneapolis, now known famously as Target Corporation. What began as a small investment opportunity grew into the second-largest department store chain in the US. What made the company stand out from the rest was its focus on fair business practices and customer satisfaction.

People came to Target for a better shopping experience. They walked into the stores to purchase dependable merchandise at competitive rates and that’s exactly what they got. Even to this day any Target store in the US lives up to its “Expect More, Pay Less” mission statement. Whether you’re at a Target in Orlando, FL or one in Chicago, IL, you’ll see the difference.

The company puts in a serious effort to come up with innovative products, promotions, and offers to keep their customers happy. They use planograms to maintain clutter-free shelves and offer perfect product displays. They certainly make shopping an easy and enjoyable experience for all.

With shorter lines at the cash register, quick checkouts and well laid out departments, these stores are a pure treat to shop in.

But not all stores have the same big-box layout. So a Target store in Orlando, FL may not necessarily sport the same aesthetics as one in California. Even the facades of certain stores are inspired by local architecture. You’ll find a few Target Stores in Florida that have a very beach-front mansion-like exterior. Some of the stores are split over 2 or more levels. Such stores feature vertical transportation in the form of Vermaports and elevators.

While Target in its early years exclusively operated general merchandise stores, they later introduced meat and produce to their product range in an effort to stay ahead of competition. Even today, they carry many organic food items, some of which are hard to find at competitor stores.

In the 1990’s the company opened Target Greatland in a few states. These stores stocked up on general merchandise too but they carried a wider selection of products. Eventually, Target Greatland stores were renovated and reorganized, most of them evolving into Super Targets or traditional Target stores.

Super Targets are even better stores because they have all the features and goods that you’d find in a general Target store, plus a photo studio, a Pharmacy, an Optical department, a Starbucks Counter, a Pizza Hut Express Counter, and a Bank. You could almost complete all your outdoor chores under one roof.

Most people would agree that Target offers a better shopping experience than most other discount-grocery stores in the nation. They make sure they stock up on the most common goods customers are likely to pick up and they also carry their own private labels to offer greater variety.

Target embraces diversity. Right from the hiring of employees to the type of products procured from their vendors, diversity is valued at every level. They understand the needs of customers coming from different ethnic groups and socio-economic backgrounds and they make sure they keep a wide selection of merchandise in all stores to suit every palate and pocket.

Target has grown leaps and bounds over the past few decades. A few cities like Orlando, FL have more than 6 Target stores while other metropolises boast of more than 15-18 stores. And while their business has been growing at a rapid pace, they’ve been playing an important role in shaping the future of America, hoping to make it one of the healthiest nations in the world!

Although there’s only one Target store in Gainesville, FL you’re likely to find whatever it is that you’re looking for in it.

Target Corporation operates 1,770 stores in the US. They’re discount retail stores with a difference. Target Corporation believes that their customers should “Expect More. Pay Less.” And it’s this belief that motivates them to offer products of the highest quality at competitive prices. They keep their profits marginal so that they can operate a successful business, based on selling high quality merchandise.

There are different types of Target stores in the US. While some of them are traditional stores that don’t sell perishable groceries, others sell a full range of grocery products along with clothing, bedding, furnishings, and other goods. Some Super Target stores also have a bank, an optical centre, a portrait studio and a Starbucks Coffee Outlet.

Target was one of the first retailers in the US to implement the bar code packaging technology in all their stores in the nation. The company took many risks over the years, most of which paid off well and contributed to their growing success.

There’s much more to Target than just well presented stores, broader aisles and faster checkouts. A lot goes on behind the scenes that many customers are not aware of.

Did you know that the company has put in a lot of effort at becoming more eco-friendly? Target has invested in the latest sand filtration technology to recycle wastewater from their stores. They’ve also lined their shelves with numerous eco-friendly household cleaners and organic clothes. Moreover they recycle various items like rechargeable batteries and coat hangers in an attempt to reduce waste thrown into landfills.

As soon as you step into a Target in Gainesville, FL or any other Target store for that matter, you’ll spot the difference. The friendliness of the staff, the wide variety of general merchandise, the high quality products, and the cleanliness of the stores, everything has a great impact on their customer satisfaction ratings.

They even have a no fuss product return policy, one that allows you to return goods and sometimes even edible items that are not satisfactory. Even the employees working at Target have nice things to say about the company. So it comes as hardly any surprise that the company was on the list of ‘The 100 best companies for Working Mothers’ in 2004.

Target has partnered with top designers and a few emerging fashion designers as well to offer their customers something new and edgy. Their clothes department has some very interesting finds at affordable prices.

In 2008 Target made an honest effort to change their image. People started believing that their prices were higher than their competitors and this ushered in some change. Target spent heavily on advertising campaigns that shed light on their ‘affordable’ or ‘value’ products and services.

Instead of stocking up on poor quality products and offering them at extremely low prices, the company chose to sell products that were superior in quality at low margins. Another feature that set them apart from their competitors was their refusal to sell firearms or tobacco related products in their stores.

So whether you’re shopping at a Target in Gainesville, FL or one in Seattle, Washington, don’t expect to find your usual brand of cigarettes on the shelf.

Perhaps it’s these little things that matter the most to Target and their customers. The company has been setting the bar high and pushing for greater success in the future, all in an effort to create a healthier and happier nation.

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