Same-day delivery: Target to open 2 NJ stores March 15

The basics:

• Target opening 2 New Jersey stores March 15, in Jersey City & West Orange
• JC location is 40,000-square-foot small-format store at Journal Square
• West Orange Plaza debuts 150,000-square-foot Target in former Kmart space
• Debuts add about 370 jobs combined, expand Target’s NJ footprint to 55 stores

Target is preparing to launch two new stores in New Jersey on the same day.

According to the big box retailer, grand opening celebrations for upcoming locations at Journal Square in Jersey City and West Orange Plaza in West Orange are set for March 15.

As part of an ongoing push to unveil 300 new stores by 2035, the Minnesota-based chain says it’s on track to add more than 30 locations this year.

Of Target’s 2,000 sites across the U.S., New Jersey is home to 53 locations. The newest store opened last summer at Flemington Marketplace in Flemington.

Jersey City

In Jersey City, Target will open a 40,000-square-foot store on the ground level of Kushner Cos.’s mixed-use development The Journal.

As a small-format store, the outpost is designed to cater to commuters, offering a location near public transportation, early opening hours, amenities and easy fulfillment services, Target said.

The location will feature a CVS Pharmacy, Starbucks, and drive-up and pick-up services. Target Circle 360 members will enjoy same-day delivery options. While all Jersey City residents can utilize next-day delivery, the chain said.

Initially launched in 2014, the smaller concept is described by Target as a “flexible design” that allows the company to “bring the best of the Bullseye into urban neighborhoods, near colleges and other areas where a full-size Target wouldn’t fit, we can serve up easy and inspiring shopping experiences for new guests across the country.”

According to Target, 90 employees will staff the store. It will operate seven days a week, 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Customers can expect an assortment of store brands and name brands on the shelves, Target said.

Within New Jersey, Target also has the scaled-down format in Closter, Parsippany-Troy Hills, Eatontown and Haddon Township.

West Orange

Following a multimillion-dollar upgrade of West Orange Plaza in West Orange, Target will take over an anchor space that formerly housed a Kmart.

At the 150,000-square-foot store, Target will offer an assortment of its own store brands, as well as national brands. It will include a CVS Pharmacy, Starbucks and Target Optical onsite, too.

Services include drive up, order pickup and same-day delivery with Target Circle 360. Next-day delivery is available to all of West Orange, Target said. Following the grand opening, it will be open daily 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. and employ about 280 workers, according to the retailer.

Fellow tenants at West Orange Plaza include Whole Foods Market, Verizon, Chipotle Mexican Grill, Jersey Mike’s Subs, Dogtopia, America’s Best Contacts & Eyeglasses and Club Pilates.

Beyond New Jersey, Target is preparing to add two new stores in California, one in Missouri, one in North Carolina and one in Texas this spring.

In a press release highlighting the batch of openings, Target noted the dual role its stores play as both shopping destinations and micro-fulfillment hubs.

According to the company, local stores handle 95% of digital orders, including same-day delivery service with Target Circle 360.

Target Chief Stores Officer Adrienne Costanzo commented, “These new stores give our teams the tools and environments to bring our merchandising strengths to life, create easier and more inspiring shopping experiences, and use technology to move smarter and faster every day. It’s how we keep growing thoughtfully, stay connected to our communities and make Target an even better place to shop.”