Target Remodel- Love It or Hate It?

By
Vicky Y
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Target's children's department.

Depending on who you ask, you’ll get a different answer to life’s pressing questions. Is it pronounced envelope or ahnvelope? Is the infamous dress black and blue or white and gold?  {It’s black and blue.} Is the Target remodel an upgrade or is it just awful?

Get a group of moms together and inevitably the topic of the Target store redesign will come up. If your local Target has not undergone remodeling yet, it may soon. The Houston-area ones in town have already gotten their make-over and the ones in the suburbs are underway. Target has announced that by 2020, more than 1,000 of its stores will be modernized inside and out.

What’s New?

Target's cosmetics department.

A few notable changes include a revamped beauty area that sets up products in a more accessible and attractive manner like Sephora, with product displays and areas to test the merchandise. The fitting rooms have been given a facelift and smaller fitting room pods are scattered around the store. The apparel section has been reimagined to showcase different brands in their own little display sections. Stores have also localized more by offering local sports team merchandise in the “Fan Shop”. I saw Houston Rockets jerseys, Texans t-shirts, and Astros gear in a roomy area in the middle of the store. There are wider curved pathways, brighter lights, and new signage. The changes may sound great for the most part but from the chatter in my neighborhood, the Target remodel has not been completely welcome.

What’s Wrong?

Target's fitting room.

Moms on my local social media groups and within my circle of friends have Feelings about these changes::

– “I can’t find anything!!” Everything seems to be in a new place. For example, the housewares section is next to women’s clothing at the very front entrance which feels disorienting to some regular shoppers. The seasonal items are featured up front and also elsewhere in the store. And on and on.

– “My cart doesn’t even fit through the racks!” The new layout includes smaller displays of different brands of clothing. There are areas where shoppers would not be able to navigate a cart around the new racks. With babies sitting in the carts, we really need to bring the carts with us.

– “The clothing departments seem so random…?”Target launched lots of new brands and each brand occupies their own displays. So instead of having a Junior section or a Women’s Section, clothing displays seem somewhat dispersed.

– “The same item is in two different sections. Argh!” A shopper said she was frustrated because the batteries she was looking for was not found in the first section where batteries reside, but in a totally different and separate battery section.

– “Why are men’s and women’s hygiene products are separated??” One mom complained about having to crisscross different pockets of displays to purchase men and women’s deodorant and other hygiene products on her list.

– “Oh darn, I forgot something.” Whereas you used to be able to traverse a big loop around the store in straightforward aisles, the layout is a little “chopped up”, in the words of a recent shopper. The smaller pockets of merchandise make it easier to miss things and bypass items you might have meant to pick up.

– “What a mess. I’m not coming back.” Some people have just not liked how the remodel has disrupted the regular flow of business. Employees are still learning where things are located and can’t be as helpful. Some stores have merchandise heaped in piles still to be sorted and moved.

I Don’t Hate the Target Remodel

A woman in a fitting room at Target.

I might be in the minority, but I like the changes. The upscale, boutique style is attractive and fun to me. Is it confusing to navigate the new stores? Sure, but probably because it’s unfamiliar. The first time I went after the Target remodel, I ended up wandering around a little aimlessly. However, there seemed to be more to look at and I unexpectedly found a cute jumpsuit that I wanted to try on. I was impressed by the revamped fitting rooms. It is a big improvement; the finishes, the lighting and the smartly placed angled mirrors were upscale and dare I say, actually flattering. {Girl, you still got it! Or maybe it’s just the mirrors…I’ll take it!}

The area outside of the fitting rooms at Target.

Target has rolled out new more convenient ways to shop as well and I can’t complain about having options. You can pick up orders inside the store, drive up for curbside, or use Shipt for home delivery. However, when I went to pick up an online order, the fancy new Order Pick Up counter was not staffed. I had to stand in the regular line for customer service so I’m docking points for that.

I was rushed at my last visit, so I’m looking forward to exploring it more thoroughly next time. It’s likely going to take longer getting through the store now and I might be spending more money there because of it. Maybe that was the idea! The Target remodel may not seem like a success to a lot of the store’s fans, but it sure looks to be working for corporate.  As with anything, I think change takes time to be accepted, especially at a beloved mom-friendly institution like Target.

Target interior.

What do you think? Has your local store been remodeled? Do you like or dislike the new layout and offerings? What’s your favorite change or what would you do differently?

Disclaimer: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC and Target Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliate sites.

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Target Remodel: Love it of Hate it? Logo: Houston moms blog. A photograph of the interior of Target.

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46 COMMENTS

  1. I used to love Target and spent money there weekly but I can’t stand the remodel. I’m not sure if it is the bright lights or the fact that I can’t find anything but it gives me a headache. I also feel like they have more women’s things and less kids clothing. I’d rather have the cuter kids items like they had before. I have stopped shopping at Target started to buy more on Amazon and other retailers.

    • I did count on them to have a large selection of kids’ stuff so I’ll be really disappointed if that has changed permanently!

      • Not a fan at all! My town has 2 Targets. The newer store was remodeled first, I didn’t like the remodel but didn’t care because I preferred the older, original Target. Now the Target I love is being remodeled…and it’s just awful!! I am there weekly getting all the things my family needs. In addition to the remodel, they started with restocking EVERYTHING in the morning making my once peaceful Target run a pain with isles completely blocked and cluttered and now the new layout!
        Agree with others, I liked the old layout much better. I feel there’s no privacy to shop for your items. I don’t want to be on display looking at ladies panties!

  2. I HATE it too. I can’t find anything and I think that they actually have a lot less inventory and options. It’s organization is just stupid and nonsensical. I’m wondering how much business they’ve lost. I do not like going there anymore. Even though I would hate it, I might have to go to Walmart to find a better selection of items.

  3. I would not say that I hate it or that I love it. I dislike the fact that a lot of stuff that they use to carry are no longer available. I really like the new Women clothing, but Target use to be a Convenient place where you got everything. Not any more…. I hate to say it, but I had stopped going to Walmart for the last 5 Yrs I only shopped at Target, but I think that is going to change, very soon as it has not been convenient for me anymore I need Convenience not just nice looking, so like one of you already said I used to be there every week now I don’t visit as often. I’m also changing were I shop and I wonder in the long run how much the REMODEL is going to cost them.

      • I never imagined that people would start to prefer Walmart over Target but it’s happening! Walmart has also upped their game too–it had been a while (years) since I shopped there but the last time I went, I felt like it was better than I remembered. Plus the prices are often lower. You’re not alone!

  5. I DISLIKE IT, GREATLY. I might represent a tiny minority, but I just want a rack of belts to choose from. All together in one place, all of the belts. I don’t want to play hide-and-seek with belts. I can’t believe they spent so much money on something that yielded such unsatisfying results. The plus-size clothing section at my local Target has been reduced to three racks, as has the One Spot. I can’t believe I’m thinking this, but I’m thinking Walmart is a better choice for me now.

    • You are not in the minority! This post received SO many comments from people who feel the way you do. I wonder if Target is paying attention!

    • I hate the remodel in my Idaho Target!! I don’t have time to go to 3 different places in the store to look for a watch! Hate it! I’ll go to local shops or the Fred Meyer or, yes, Walmart, before I go to Target for basics again. It’s just too frustrating and time consuming!

      • Yes, I think everyone agrees that it just takes more time to get through the store now. I’m really curious to hear about their sales numbers after the holidays. Wonder if people are going to re-think doing Christmas shopping there!

  6. It’s funny,I just posted a thread in my neighborhood Facebook page and there’s over 115 comments of how much people HATE the new remodel. I can honestly say there are 0, ZERO comments stating they like it. People have stopped shopping there all together. (myself included)

      • Hate it.

        If I wanted to get lost and wander around a department store I go to a flipping department store.

        What are used to laugh about Target was being able to run and get what I need and run out..and I would spend a lot of money there but those days are over I’m going to Walmart because I’ve been in this store for 30 minutes and I still have no idea where the flipping water filters are.

        and it’s not like their clothing selection is going to be any better in quality because they’ve displayed it differently.

        and after last Summer’s summer selection I don’t think I’ll buy anything at Target ever again it seems like their buyer is now a design school reject.

        here’s a tip the 70s fashion was ugly when it came out and it’s even worse now.

  8. I HATE it!! Have the other Targets removed the CONSESSION STAND? My husband always looked forward to getting a bag of popcorn when he accompanied me to Target. He went with me the other day and said “Target’s just not fun anymore” And, my Target used to have a large variety of cute kids clothes. I was so disappointed to find that the toddler girl section as been reduced to literally two, small rows. It’s so small in fact I asked an associate where they had moved the toddler girl clothes area to and she said, “this is it” I can’t find a single positive with this remodel.

    • I can’t believe they took out the concession stand in yours!! The two stores I visit near me still have the concession stands. (#TargetCorporate, listen up!!)

  9. Hi! I found your blog while searching to see if I was alone on the “Hate It” Team. I can see I’m not. Now that I know they re-organized by “Brand” I can see why I can’t find anything…brand means nothing to me when I shop…price and convenience is everything. And it does seem like they have a lot less merchandise in all departments. Maybe that was their goal” to streamline and reduce waste. I work at a grocery store and we just went through a remodel and people hate that as well. When it comes to “convenience,” people don’t like change.

    • You are definitely not alone! When this post was originally published some months ago it got DOZENS of comments on Facebook where we had first promoted it. Almost all were in the “Hate it” camp. You’re right, Target shoppers are likely not looking at brands, they are there for specific categories of merchandise. The only “brand” section I have found super useful is the Fan Shop where they house all the different local sports team clothing. That one is very handy but I’m getting the feeling Target alienated a bunch of customers with their merchandise re-arrangement.

  10. I hate it so much I can’t even put it into words. I have loved Target for close to 25 years, and just loved wandering through for no reason at all… it now looks like a 1980s K Mart… Dog food next to the Holiday Candy? Really? Home Depot peg boards? Rounders that have nothing organized like JC Penny’s when it took a dive? Blinding lights in the makeup section that make any makeup impossible to judge for your skin or any tone? Whelp- at least I’ll save some money now…

  11. I agree with everything negative said. I used to love to go to target with my wife and it was always my first choice but now Walmart will be my first choice. Had to wander around in circles trying to find an item in housewares. Hate it

  12. Ugh. It’s really pretty and has that department store feel but you can tell it was designed by behavioral scientists and marketing people. It’s design is to keep you in the store and buying more. And it’s really frustrating . How can a store have more but less? Like the first commentor said the layout is really disjointed.

  13. Add me to the “hate it” club! I used to frequent Target nearly daily, and now it has little to no appeal to me. My budget and hubby are very happy though LOL. It is WAY too bright, things feel scattered and disorganized, and it just does not hold the same appeal that my old Target feel used to have.

    • I don’t know if it was dim before but for some reason, I also feel that it is especially bright now. Maybe there’s more white flooring or something…

  14. We have always looked forward to the Sunday newspaper for the eagerly awaited
    Target Weekly Sales insert. We would always “pre-shop” the sales circular; then
    head over to the Target Greatland store a mile away. The store has become so unappealing – along with the insert – I’m
    cancelling my newspaper subscription today! Good for you Target! We now travel
    3 miles to the Walmart Superstore, and we
    spend our Target $$ there and Amazon.

  16. I HATE the new remodel. I spent A LOT of time and money wondering the Target aisles. I am the demographic they supposedly cater to, but I detest this “new” Target. Target’s appeal was about comfort, ease and reliability. When my kids were little, trips to Target were an outing. We’d always start with a little box of Goldfish or animal crackers, or maybe popcorn and a Slurpee. When the kids were older, I looked forward to hitting up Target alone. I’d get a coffee and wonder the aisles, putting unexpected treasures in my cart and enjoying the comfort of being able to find what I needed.

    Now they’ve all but done away with the shopping experience that built customer loyalty. It was the one place I could go to find a classic v-neck T-shirt, diapers, AND stuff for dinner. I would go in looking for essentials and come out with those things PLUS a set of beautiful (and cheap) Pottery Barn-style book shelves and a cute outfit. I dropped THOUSANDS of dollars a year there.

    Not the case anymore. I rarely shop at Target now. The layout is counter-intuitive and uncomfortable. The brands Mossimo and Merona weren’t flashy, but they were reliable for wardrobe staples. I agree about feeling a lack of privacy, the whole store now carries a feeling of lack. It’s too open, disorganized, and frankly, stressful. And I hate the music! I’m a music lover, but I have kids and I’m a teacher by trade. I really appreciated having a quiet, relaxing place to go to shop.

    Complaining aside, I’m also grateful have found this site. All of my friends feel robbed by the new, stupid Target, but there don’t seem to be many articles online voicing displeasure. Maybe it’s weird for a retail store to be such a big part of my lifestyle, but it was, and I actually grieved a little when it changed. I was a loyal Target customer for 20+ years and I’d still be shopping there today if they’d bothered to show any loyalty to their customers.

  18. I’ve been doing my best to get used to the new layout. I think it is aesthetically pleasing. However, I’ve decided it’s not going to happen. This morning I spent 30 minutes trying to find women’s clothes. I never did and left my basket of other stuff and left the store. I have other great choices and I’m done with Target. I don’t have this much time to waste.

  19. I didn’t know target had changed its layout or that they had dropped beloved brands —- I thought it was just me (hadn’t been in store in years following illness)!

    I kept going to clothing section to find the t-shirts and jeans I was used to — I kept going again and again, but nothing. the whole thing was so confusing and seems ’empty’. I see clothes there but it seems empty! FINALLY a sales rep said he had never HEARD of “mossimo” or “merona”! And that they now group clothig by brand. I was like “HOW STUPID!” Those brands were AWESOME, my go-tos. Who divides clothing by brand? Where are the jeans??! Here, here, here and over there Oh and there’s some over here! What are the cut-types and sizes? I don’t know. This Is Brand X, that is Brand Y etc —- Ridiculous. I don’t know who shops like that??!

    I used to LOVE going to Target and would always find things I like. I’d go and boy like 10 t-shirts when they had a great sale and wear them ALL THE TIME. short sleeve, long sleeve — I still wear the same old t-shirts from years ago bc they don’t have any good replacements!

    Same w the mossimo jeans — I still wear the old Mossimo jeans even though they’re now at least 3 sizes too big (!!!) simply bc I cannot find a suitable replacement for the great “curvy” cut!!!

    comfort — I want comfort and volume (color selection) from Target! The next cold, sparse look and limited, oddly spaced selections (hate to say it, but) suck! : (

    especially during covid!!

    I wanted comfort from Target in 2014, I want comfort from Target in 2020.

    What happened??!

    side note, I wonder if this new, cold, sparse design and sacking beloved brands actually brought them more sales??! did you ever find out?

    Thanks for writing a blog about this! Glad to know I not the only one!!!

  20. They had never heard of Mossimo??? What kind of foolishness is that?! And I hear you about the Mossimo jeans!! I have a pair that I have tried desperately to replace with no luck. Sales-wise, I read that they are kind of killing it though. Their revenues have increased about 3.5% each year for the past few years, BUT a lot of that is driven from increase in online sales. I am still curious about how the in-store sales are doing after their remodel!

  21. I HATE IT SO MUCH! I try not to go in there at all anymore and I used to live there! Can’t find anything, can’t find any help to find anything. The location of some items do not make any sense at all. I hate the openness. I just hate it. I get anxiety every time I have to go there. I go there as little as possible at this point. Please put it back the way it was.

  22. I hate the new layout in my Target too

    The tech section is being remodeled now and none of the important brands are all in one place anymore, each brand is chopped up and haphazardly laid out intermixed with other chopped up brands making it impossible and awkward to traverse, some sections are even hard to find and even see

    It went from happy order, to stressful space waisting chaos, I can’t believe this has happened to my favourite store

    It looks like Walmart for me too from now on

  23. I noticed the broken up games isles in my Target and both strongly hated it but also kind of liked it

    I thought it lost alot of organization and visual appeal which was really dissappointing, but at the same time it seemed to help the brands to be less strict and more open ended, so newcomers can find new things that they like

    I’ll keep waiting for the full remodel to see how it goes

  24. Was trying to find out if I’m the only one who hates the new Target add ended up here!

    I’ve been shopping there since the 80s, everywhere I’ve lived. I even wondered if I moved to a foreign country how much I’d miss Target shopping.
    Well, they’ve done the impossible. I hate going there now. They expanded the grocery section to the detriment of everything else?
    Sure I liked buying some food there but I also liked BARS of soap and hair dye and batteries and towels… All of which if you can FIND them have had their selections greatly reduced
    I didn’t need it to be Sephora or Ralph’s or Macy’s. Just be Target.
    Guess I’ll be shopping Rite aid or even WALMART? So disappointing.

  25. I hate the remodel. Clothing is separate by brands so if you want to buy jeans for example you have to look through the entire woman’s section. I feel like the inventory is less giving less option because of the beautiful displays taking up all the space. I want the cafe’s back! I miss being able to get popcorn to keep the kid happy while I shop! The layout is not as logical as it was before. An upgrade should be just that, not just different. On the up side I’ve saved lots of money because I don’t shop there much anymore.

  26. I’m also not a fan of the Target remodel. I feel displaced looking for regular staple items in random sections of the store. I use to enjoy going to Target being greeted by friendly workers, perusing down the aisles to see new items and the quiet atmosphere. Shopping there use to be relaxing. But my last visit a couple of days ago I couldn’t find my ordinary items and I was out in less the 15 minutes. Where as before remodel I had a cart full of items I just had to get because it was cute or it would look good in the house and I would walk out of the store an hour to 1.5 hours. I dearly miss my old Target. I guess now I’ll have to get use to the craziness of Walmart instead.

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