Target to take bull's eye to all 50 states

MINNEAPOLIS Target is looking to open stores in Alaska, Hawaii and Vermont, a company executive said, a move that will put the discount retailer in all 50 United States.

Target's senior vice president of real estate, Scott Nelson, said in an interview that construction is underway for a Target store in Alaska, and the retailer is trying to find the right location to open a store in Vermont.

"Vermont, from a population standpoint, is not a real large state and clearly there is an increased sensitivity to store placement in Vermont," Nelson said.

In Hawaii, Target has plans to open a store on the island of Oahu, he said, but it has interest in putting stores on all the major Hawaiian Islands.

Target will also be opening its first store in Manhattan, having signed a lease for store space in the East River Plaza, a new construction project in East Harlem, which is currently slated to open in the spring of 2009.