New competition in Walmart’s backyard

Target competes with Walmart in virtually every market where its 1,684 stores are located. But this spring, one market of particular interest will be Rogers, Ark.

The rapidly growing community in the Northwest corner of the state is adjacent to the town of Bentonville, where Wal-Mart’s headquarters are located. Target’s new store set to open March 8 is the retailer’s first in Benton County, and the closest to its arch rival’s headquarters. Previously, if Wal-Mart’s home office employees or its suppliers wanted to conduct competitive store visits, they traveled south to Washington County and the town of Fayetteville, where Target has operated a discount store for the past 10 years.

Target’s newest unit at 2404 Promenade Boulevard is adjacent to the new Pinnacle Hills Promenade mall. The new mall was a godsend to area residents hungry for convenient alternatives to shopping at Walmart, and that is likely to be the case with Target as well.