Target is putting its style revamp on full display.
The big-box chain is on a mission to rebuild its reputation for style, and its SoHo location in New York City appears to be the centerpiece of that effort. The store has been reimagined with immersive and interactive displays.
The new look comes as operating chief and incoming CEO Michael Fiddelke has set his action plan to improve sales. It involves redirecting Target toward a “style and design North Star” and enhancing the shopping experience to encourage people to spend more time browsing the aisles.
“To see this Target SoHo store is a punctuation point on that style of design and cultural leadership,” Fiddelke, who’s set to step into the CEO role in February, said at an exclusive preview of the revamped store. “It could not be more of a point of pride for me and, I know, the whole team.”
Members of the press got a preview of the remodel in December, and I returned a week later to see what it looked like on a typical day during the hectic holiday shopping season.
Target introduced apparel at the SoHo store for the first time. Although the location is on the corner of a block that also houses brands like The North Face and Abercrombie & Fitch, Cara Sylvester, chief guest experience officer, told Business Insider that the location was previously tailored for locals and tourists to drop in for essentials like snacks or makeup. It didn’t carry Target’s clothing lines, such as Wild Fable, until now.
The retailer hopes clothes, showcased amid towering red displays, will help it make a bigger splash in the fashion-forward New York City neighborhood.
I browsed the bustling location to see the glow-up firsthand.
It was like walking into a literal bull’s-eye
The immersion started as soon as I walked into the store. I stepped into what looked like an actual bull’s-eye, mirroring Target’s logo. Red arches towered overhead with built-in racks lining the walls. Since I visited the store in December, it had a holiday theme with gift boxes and Christmas knickknacks in the center of the floor.
“We have a new look! There’s more where that came from,” a sign at the door read.
Gifts and apparel were on display
In the center of the store, Target advertised potential holiday gifts, including ever-popular Stanley tumblers for $50. The clothing racks featured on-trend styles, including glittering dresses in time for New Year’s and a deer-print fur coat.
The beauty section reminded me of a spaceship
Finally, it was time to visit my favorite section in every Target: the beauty department. This beauty section, however, looked totally new. It reminded me of a spaceship, with its gray tone and the circular displays, on which the products were arranged.
I appreciated the design of the layout, but it was a bit closed off, making it a tight fit to truly shop for whatever products you’re looking for.
There was a small photo booth
Tucked into the corner of the beauty section was an interactive feature that I hadn’t seen at Target before. It was a place to take and download a selfie. First, you snap a picture, then it prints a digital receipt for you to scan with your phone to download the image.
When I tried it during my visit, however, the machine was out of paper.
The lower level looked like any other Target store
I took the escalator downstairs, and it was business as usual. It looked like the aisles of your neighborhood Target, with snacks, produce, and a small home goods section.
Target’s Alpine holiday theme was present throughout the 2-story store
Target’s holiday branding this year features an Alpine theme, designed to make the stores more welcoming and inviting.
I noticed a display not unlike a gondola I came across in another Target location this holiday season. Several people, including myself, stopped to snap photos of the gondola overflowing with silver globes and lined with plush toys.
I appreciated this thread connecting the different locations, and it felt like the right touch for this Target store, which also had unique touches. Sylvester told me the red arches wouldn’t be replicated the same way elsewhere.
Overall, I loved the immersive experience this store offered, and I think it gave Target a refreshed vibe that reminded me more of a niche apparel store than a big-box retailer.
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