Target Rebranding Small Formats Under Flagship Banner

Target intends to rebrand its "flexible" neighborhood format stores under the flagship banner starting this fall.

Over the past three years, the Minneapolis-based retailer has introduced alternative format stores to create more "locally relevant" shopping experiences in urban areas around the country. These 14 locations, bannered as CityTarget and TargetExpress, varied in size and assortment.

In order to bring consistency of message and experience, Target is dropping the alternate names in favor of the Target banner and bullseye logo. "Guests can walk into a Target store of any shape or size and find great merchandise, helpful team members, clean, bright aisles and incredible value," the retailer announced on its website.  

Target stresses that its strategy around flexible formats will remain the same. "We’re committed as ever to our urban growth strategy, developing stores specially designed for densely populated areas," the retailer stated. "And we’ll keep integrating our digital channels, services like store pickup, and other innovations into the experience so guests always have all of Target at their fingertips."

In fact, Target noted, of the six new stores opening in October, four of them—in San Francisco, San Diego, Chicago and Rosslyn, Va.—will be smaller, flexible-format stores. The other two, in San Diego Del Sur, and Fort Worth, Texas, will be traditional-size stores.