Target, Inc.

Madison, Ala., city officials didn't want just any development for its last available commercial tract, a 28-acre property along a major thoroughfare. They wanted to bring in retailers currently unavailable in the area.

They approached Target and Brentwood, Tenn.-based GBT Realty Corp., a developer known for its Target-anchored developments.

"Madison told us they wanted Target," explained George B. Tomlin, president and CEO of GBT Realty. "If you help us, they said, we'll participate financially in the development of the property."

Mississauga, Ontario -- Target announced the soft opening dates for 24 locations in Western Canada, with 22 stores opening on May 7 and two  opening on May 14.

The openings, which include stores in British Columbia, Alberta and Manitoba, follow the opening of 24 stores across Ontario. As previously announced, Target plans to open 124 stores across Canada throughout 2013.

By Garrick Brown, research director, Terranomics

Chicago -- Jones Lang LaSalle announced the addition of Larry Kilduff, Claire Bitautas and Anne Imming to its retail team.

Kilduff will serve as a VP and the retail management lead in the Midwest. Bitautas and Imming will serve as VPs on the brokerage team focusing on the downtown and suburban Chicago market. In their new roles they will partner with Midwest retail market lead Mark Hunter.

Knoxville, Tenn. -- CHM said that its Northshore Town Center mixed-use property will add First Tennessee Bank and ORNL Federal Credit Union to its tenant roster.

The two financial institutions will join fast-casual pizza restaurant Uncle Maddio’s, scheduled to open its first Tennessee location at Northshore Town Center later this spring.

Minneapolis -- Target Corp. said Tuesday it will miss its first-quarter profit outlook as seasonal and weather-sensitive items underperformed.
 
The retailer also said it now expects same-store sales to be flat in the quarter.

Target’s quarterly results are slated to be reported on May 22.

By Ellis Verdi, president of the NYC advertising agency DeVito/Verdi

Here are the five lessons I learned from the J.C. Penney debacle — unfortunately we knew all of this before Ron took his ideas to market.

Boston -- Walmart Canada and Target Canada are very competitively positioned from a basket price perspective, according to a recent report by Kantar Retail.  

Based on the study’s results, Kantar Retail believes that Target’s “Pay Less” consumables prices will stack up well against its Canadian competition and that the retailer will prove to be a formidable challenge to Walmart Canada’s price position in the market.