Annie, at Bossy Color Blog, (also local) wrote today “My Issue With Target”. She complains about not finding a ceramic butter dish, the layout of the store and the quality.
Well, I hate to make blog waves, but I just have to use my bit of cyberspace for rebuttal. I LOVE TARGET. Annie, Have you been to Walmart lately? Coincidentally, I was in both stores just today. (Forgive me, my mother-in-law is in town.) Target is like heaven compared to Walmart. My Woodbridge Walmart is no less than disgusting. Dirty, full of cheap crap and crammed full of customers. At Target I can walk the aisles without fear, and I can actually use the bathrooms.
I love the fact that Target is on top of the trends. Because if I am going to succumb to the latest-must-have craze, then I want it cheap, since tomorrow I will probably be finished with it. I don’t have an issue with quality. To the contrary. The picture at the top of this post is almost ALL Target, and has been for a few years now. (The wonderful, sturdy, two toned bookshelves are from the Thomas O’Brien collection. The chairs were less than $100 and have been sat on every day for two years. The pillows are down-filled.)
The big fluffy white Thomas O’Brien bath towels run for $9 on sale and they beat $20 Ralph Lauren towels hands down. Holiday decorations are always fresh. Ikea’s idea of Christmas this year was developed by a team of Rastafarians.
Ok, I can’t argue with the whole urban spread thing. But that issue is way bigger than Target. In a free market system, it is up to the zoning authorities to protect the endangered environments. Don’t blame Target if the land use was approved.
I think I know what may be a bit of the Target sting. I had a friend who once owned a traditional design service with a store front studio. She confessed to me that Target and Marshall’s put her out of business. She said even she wouldn’t buy her overpriced wares when the same thing was available for less than half of what she could sell it for. And I have to be truthful. When I created my business model, the conversation rang loudly in my head…
I have written about Target here and here. Their stuff makes my Friday Collage regularly.
4 Comments
I have to agree with you on Target. I won’t even step foot in my local Wal-Mart. Actually, there’s three of them in my city, and I won’t go to any of them unless I absolutely have to (like when I broke my last sewing machine needle at midnight and had to have a project finished for a client the next morning, so I had to go to WalMart since it’s open 24 hours).
I love Target. I love to walk through their accessories department and look at all of the great things they have–fun little accent tables, beautiful vases, cool table lamps. I think it’s a fantastic store.
I am so glad you agree with me! But I am not really surprised. I mean, I have never before heard anyone say they didn’t like it!
Oh well! More for us!
I completely agree on Target vs. Wal-Mart, Denise. 100%. I guess I would take the same approach to Target as I do w/ Ikea: use a few carefully chosen pieces, and fill in the rest from other places. If you’re going for longevity, I still maintain that Target shouldn’t be your first stop. I’m glad you’ve had success there, and thanks again for responding to the bossy blog post! Happy blogging.
Annie, I guess we ARE on the same page–err, screen. Target can’t be beat for decorative, stylish, trendy accessories. Major purchases we will leave for the experts.
Check out the handblown glass vases next time. They rival those 5 times the price.
And let’s hope in these tighter times a retailer comes around that does it even better! Wouldn’t that be a dream??
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