What is a Super Target? An In-Depth Look
Super Target stores have become an integral part of the Target shopping experience for many customers across the United States. As Target continues to evolve and update its offerings, it‘s worth taking an in-depth look at what exactly Super Target stores are, what makes them different, and what shoppers can expect.
The History and Growth of Super Target Stores
The first Super Target store opened in Omaha, Nebraska in 1995, pioneering a new expanded format for Target. Through the late 1990s and 2000s, Super Target locations rapidly expanded across the country.
Here is a breakdown of the growth of Super Target stores over time:
- 1995 – The first Super Target opens in Omaha, NE
- 1999 – There are 102 Super Target stores nationwide
- 2005 – The number of Super Targets peaks at 246 stores
- 2015 – Target begins rebranding many Super Targets back to regular Target stores
- 2022 – Around 150 Super Target branded stores remain
At their peak expansion in the mid-2000s, Super Target stores could be found concentrated in these top states:
| State | Number of Super Targets |
|---|---|
| Texas | 47 |
| Florida | 45 |
| Minnesota | 29 |
| California | 20 |
| Illinois | 14 |
The average Super Target size is around 175,000 square feet, compared to 130,000 square feet for a regular Target. Some Super Target locations are over 200,000 square feet. The very largest Super Target, in Hoover, Alabama, is a massive 191,000 square feet.
Grocery Selection and In-Store Services
The defining feature of a Super Target is an extensive grocery market and supermarket-style offerings. Shoppers will find:
- Fresh produce like fruits, vegetables, and refrigerated specialty items
- In-house bakery providing fresh bread, desserts, and custom-design cakes
- Meat and seafood department with butcher counters and diverse cuts
- Dairy products, frozen foods, dry goods, canned items
- Organic and specialty grocery options
Super Targets contain everything you‘d expect from a regular Target store, including apparel, home goods, electronics, toys, pet supplies, and more. The non-grocery sections often have a wider and deeper product selection compared to regular Targets.
Many Super Target locations also house amenities like:
- Bank branches and ATMs
- Optical centers
- Portrait studios
- Starbucks cafes
- Clinics providing basic healthcare services
These extra services aim to provide a convenient one-stop shopping experience.
Customer Experience Pros and Cons
From a customer standpoint, Super Targets offer some advantages over regular Target stores:
Pros
- One-stop shopping for all errands
- Greater product variety and selection
- Wider aisles and less crowded space
- Fresh groceries and butcher counters
- Extra amenities like cafes and clinics
Cons
- Longer checkout times with full grocery carts
- Loss of smaller, neighborhood feel of regular Targets
- Less intimate shopping experience due to larger store size
- Regional limitations – only in certain states
The Evolution of Target‘s Grocery Strategy
The rise of Super Targets coincided with Target aggressively expanding their footprint in the grocery market. The model was a success in the early 2000s, and propelled Target to become the second largest grocer in the nation after Walmart.
However, around 2015 Target made the strategic decision to unify all stores under the Target branding. They moved away from the Super Target name to simplify operations and marketing. Many Super Targets were remodeled into regular Targets, while still retaining expanded grocery offerings.
This evolution indicates grocery and fresh foods are now core parts of Target‘s brand identity. Even small, urban Target stores now have produce and bakeries tailored for local shoppers. Target continues innovating with grocery-focused formats like Target Fresh.
In 2021, Target earned $30 billion in revenue from food and beverage sales. Groceries are integral to Target‘s future, evolving from the initial Super Target concept.
Final Thoughts
While dedicated Super Target stores are decreasing, they played a crucial role in Target‘s history by pioneering groceries and modernizing their brand. For two decades, Super Targets offered customers a premium one-stop Target shopping experience.
The extra selection and expanded footprint made Super Targets popular in the regions they served. Even as Target phases out the name and format, the spirit of Super Target lives on in how ordinary Target stores integrate food and services today.
