Target Is Getting Closer to Opening Its First UWS Store; Hiring Spree Planned for Next Week
Target will be starting the process of hiring 160 people next week, as it prepares to open its first store on the Upper West Side.
The new Target is opening “later this fall” at 1865 Broadway between 61st and 62nd Streets, at the bottom of a luxury building that replaced the American Bible Society. The 34,000-square-foot store will be an “urban concept” store that’s smaller than traditional suburban locations. The company did not respond to a question about when exactly the new store will open.
“Interested candidates are encouraged to apply at Target.com/careers ahead of job fairs held August 26-27 at Target Studio (521 West 25th Street),” a press release about the hiring event said.
To get a sense of how Upper West Siders feel about a Target moving in, check out the 83 comments on our last story.
Target replaces American Bible Society. The end of civilization as we know it..
My understanding of the ABS is that it was an institution dedicated to proselytizing Christianity. If I’m correct, that is not my definition of civilization.
Its original and still main purpose was to print and distribute Bibles. You could say biblical literacy was its mission. I think it’s a fair statement that the Bible has had something to do with the establishment and maintenance of civilization (art, architecture, music, literature, poetry, …). Yes, its been wielded by many for evil (slavery, bigotry…). But it’s also motivated many to establish schools (all the Ivy Leagues), hospitals, etc.
Really no. Proselytizing and rampant consumerism are both things the world would be better off without. But rampant consumerism at affordable prices is loads better than sales of an antiquated product that continually encourages people to mistreat each other.
Although true bible literacy does lead do atheism, it is rarely the purpose of those who seek to make money off religion.
Not all the Ivies
I know some here have written (back in Oct 2018), “Better [Target] than the Bible!”
But even a secular Camille Paglia understands the Bible (and other sacred/ancient literature) as essential to understanding and passing along culture. You can’t read Moby Dick without knowing the Bible. You can’t really appreciate Handel’s Messiah. You don’t know why you start to tear up when Ironman sacrifices himself to save the other Avengers, until you’ve read the Bible.
We joke about ABS, but they made a terrible decision to sell the building — they’ll most likely never be able to buy a site like this again — and NYC culture will suffer for not having a mainstay like ABS there.
Name a half dozen other institutions that are 200 years old and still in NYC, as ABS would have been in 2016 if it had stayed?
I like Target, naysayers notwithstanding, but the departure of ABS to Philly is NYC’s loss.
Yikes, sorry you need the Bible to feel human emotion. Or even Marvel emotion. I think way more of humanity than we need to read a book to be human.
Also I was in the middle of Endgame, taking a pause, when I read this. So thanks for that spoiler. Iron Man did not sacrifice himself for the Avengers; you’d think the Bible would have taught you that. And Black Widow did it first.
It won’t be a real Target, just like the Lowe’s on 68th wasn’t a real Lowe’s. I see little reason for excitement.
Ill gladly take that over no target.
I miss Lowe’s on B-way! I now must walk across town to the dreaded Home Depot. When possible I take a trip to Lowe’s in the suburbs! So happy Target is coming to UWS ! often shop @ LES Target. Thank you Target! I love all kinds of shopping, low end to high end.
UES Target (in former Gracious Home space) looks set to open this fall as well.
These Target “lite” stores are just a cross between Duane Reade and Kmart IMHO. In fact when down near Astor Place go between the new Target and Kmart down there and difference in terms of prices and merchandise isn’t that great. Though with Sears going through financial issues shelves at Kmart have been rather skimpy looking.
This new Kmart on UWS probably means there will be less chance of a supermarket opening in that area anytime soon. Target carries a wide array of “grocery store” items which puts it in direct competition with supermarkets.
To put this store size in context, the Lowe’s was about 30,000 sf.
Considering that the entire building footprint of the building that Lowes was located in is about 100 ft by 175 feet (17,500 sq ft) and at least 30% of that footprint is taken up by lobby/garage/freight elevators/etc, and Lowes only occupied the first floor, the total size of Lowes could not be more than 12,000 square feet. Maybe they had another few thousand square feet underground for storage but I doubt they had 18,000 sq feet (which would have severely cut into the building’s parking garage).
I know that the Rag and other publications said it would be 30,000 sq feet, but it wasn’t.
Perhaps you are thinking about the Gracious Home a block north which comprised several underground levels?
looking forward to having ready access to cat and jack children’s clothing. Welcome to the neighborhood.
I do not see a successful run for this store unless they undercut amazons price points.
Shouldn’t be too hard. There are a ton of day-to-day items that are way overpriced on Amazon, presumably to cover the Prime shipping cost on these smaller things.
Re: “To get a sense of how Upper West Siders feel about a Target…, check out the 83 comments on our last story.”
Just did. Now I’m a-gonna-go fwow-up !
Hmmm…maybe the “Democratic-Socialists”, who believe the government should run everything, would want another agency, one to oversee Kvetching.
There could be KFC-2, (NO, NOT about chicken-place but a “Kvetch-Fostering-Council”).
Hmmm…Colonel SANDERS, Bernie SANDERS…twins separated-at-birth….??
The “Upper West Side” goes up further than Lincoln Center—I’ll get excited when these stores move further up Broadway. Just sayin’
The target audience for this blog doesn’t travel up that far.
I don’t like target therefore it is destroying the neighborhood….wait, never mind, I do like Target therefore it awesome…but wait, the design of the building doesn’t fit my Personal aesthetic…therefore I am filing a lawsuit….
EXCELLENT !!
Delightfully clever put-down of various sub-sets of UWS cranks !!
yes, this reader included in above.
Comments on this blog are definitely not an indication of the opinions of most of the UWS. This blog specializes in a certain demographic.
Target is good for the community.
I’d rather shop at a Target than a dingy and overpriced mom & pop shop.
Certainly. beats empty store fronts left by said mom and pop shops when they inevitably go out of business because of gross overpricing.
Mom and pop stores belong to another era like copy shops and answering machines.
Ah, the joys of shopping in an impersonal mega brand store, served by staff who could care less about their jobs or serving you. Clearly you’ve never known the pleasure of shopping at a mom and pop store where people greet you, want to keep you as a customer, and know what you like. More’s the pity.
Oh but I have 40 years ago in the UWS. Those days are gone.
Too bad Target didn’t get the space Lowe’s vacated.
The target store on West 61st street is an abomination for those of us unfortunate enough to live on this street. They will sell food as well as other things and require 14 truck deliveries a day including the middle of the night and use of 55 foot tractor trailers. We are waging a campaign against this store, its noise, truck pollution, safety issues etc – This store is more than 10,000 sq feet larger than other urban Target stores.
Re: “We are waging a campaign against this store, its noise, truck pollution, safety issues etc”
So, instead of the old “Hey, Kids, Let’s Put On a Show!” it’s ‘Hey, Cranks, Let’s Disrupt Something and Show How Self-Important We Are!’
Yes, another tiny minority (The Concerned Comrades of W. 61st Street) is attempting to unleash its inner “Terrible-Two-Year-Old” crankiness and destroy something that many more welcome, especially those who will find decent jobs there.
Yup, NYC has more cranks than does a garage-full of Model-T Fords.
Sometimes the cranks win (cf. the Amazon debacle in Queens) but more often they lose (cf. 200 Amsterdam, the Natural History Museum’s Gilder Center, etc). Hopefully they’ll lose here, too.
Go, Target !
Go-away, NIMBY’s and assorted power-tripping cranks!
It is unbelievable to me that anyone will buy an apartment in the Park Loggia as soon as they figure out the effect Target will have on their lifestyle.Target has decided not to pay rent for inventory space so will require more than one dozen truck deliveries every 24 hours from 4AM to midnight.
Responded to such a statement in another WSR thread.
Nearly all retail, especially supermarkets/places that sell food, are moving to “order to shelf” inventory systems. They also are reducing levels of excess inventory held in back stock.
By doing so retail can kill at least two birds with one stone; occupy smaller spaces than previous models dictated (by getting rid of requirements for large basement/back room storage areas), and reduce amount of unsold stock subject to vermin contamination, expiration, theft, and other things that cause losses.
It’s all part of “going lean”; having just in time inventory delivery allows retailers to be agile and also reduce costs.
Target or no Target is the question that should be asked, I vote no Target. I hate target. All target is a bad over priced version of Walmart which is no prize to speak of.
I shop at both Target and Walmart. The target prices for same items are a few cents more. The target stores are more attractive than wm and have more stylish merchandise. Walmart does have a much bigger selection of goods. Note that my observations are for stores in Western new jersey. Am looking forward to checking out the upcoming east side target altho it will be much smaller than what I am used to.
Sadly, when the ABS went away, so did the Museum of the Bible in Art (MOBIA) which had some extraordinary exhibitions including its last about the Renaissance sculptor, Donatello. The Museum and its staff were given very little notice that it was going to close!
Yippee!! Can’t wait for my favorite store to open. Maybe they will also sell Bibles.😎📙
I am so excited to have one of my favorite stores on the upper west side
Can’t we gel some of the UWS restaurants to stay open later? This is New York, the neighborhood shouldn’t be pretty much dark by 10:30 pm.
The UWS is like the suburbs to most people. It’s about as hip as replacement surgery.
Keeping places open later would require either a second shift, or paying OT. New NYS/NYC minimum wage, OT, PTO and other laws make that an unattractive option for many places including restaurants.
Don’t forget places may close by 10PM or 1030PM but often staff must remain to clean up. They might not leave until 30 minutes or hour later.
Trend these days is to cut hours, not extend.
THE TARGETS OF THE WORLD ADVERTISE HIRING/JOB NEEDS–AS WELL AS CONVENIENT ONE STOP SHOPPING AT LOWER PRICES.BUT IN FACT THEY ALSO REPLACE AND CHANGE THE FACE OF NEIGHBORHOODS: REPLACING LOCAL OWNERSHIP BY NATIONAL /INTERNATIONAL MEGA MODELS OF BUSINESS IN THE CITIES AND SUBURBS THEY COLONIZE.
What can you possibly get at Target that you can’t get on Amazon? I’ll give it as long as Loews.
Target Yes or Target No. Now That is the Question. I have been reading “The West Side Rag” over the years and have found it to be most informative about the goings-on on the Upper West Side, whatever its boundaries. And the civil discourse of dedicated readers an added boon for the most part. I also had the pleasure of meeting the “bosses” of the Rag at a holiday party for block associations a few years ago, and they are a smart bunch.
Well, I suppose that this is more of a paean for the West Side Rag than the topic at hand, but they deserve it, and I thank them for bringing us local news not found elsewhere.