Target is finally open for business at 255 Greenwich St.
BY COLIN MIXSON
Bullseye, Target’s face-painted bull terrier mascot was on his best behavior as he greeted shoppers.
The first Target south of Harlem opened its doors to waiting crowds in Tribeca Wednesday morning, and the stores wide range of merchandise and low costs instantly smote locals, according to one Financial District mom,
“I thought it was amazing,” said Denise Courter, mother of two and creator of fidifamilies.com.
The new big-box retailer is now officially open for business at 255 Greenwich St. between Murray St. and Park Place, occupying two floors and filling every inch of them with affordable stuff, according to Courter.
“I thought it was a beautifully designed store, especially in a city where its hard to find space,” she said. “They really utilized the space well, even where it’s compacted tightly together. I noticed families with strollers were able to navigate through the store, which, as new mother, I noticed a lot of stores uptown aren’t stroller friendly.”
The store was flushed with locals on opening day, but also out-of-towners and New Yorkers from the outer boroughs, like one rapturous Bronx consumer, who treated the stores opening as akin to a religious experience.
A Bronx shopper who would only identify herself as Phyllis said she had a rapturous time at Downtown’s new Target, and vowed to return.
“All I saw was beautiful colors, clothes, people — I enjoyed it, I enjoyed every moment in there,” said an exultant shopper, who only gave her name as Phyllis. “I have to go back.”
Target released its plan to open the Greenwich St. location in November last year, eliciting grim concerns from local business over the stiff competition they expected from the brand-name big box.
Yafit Goldfarb, owner of nearby jewelry shop Seasonal Whispers at 71 Murray St., was not pleased that a Target was coming across the street.
“Target is not good anywhere,” she said. “It is meant for remote cities.”
Time will tell whether Target’s cheap goods will spell ruin for nearby small businesses, but Courter, despite her love of the new retailer, says she still plans on throwing the little guys a bone from time to time.
“I’m vowing I’ll still go to my local hardware store, Fulton Hardware,” she said. “Those guys have been there for years and years, they’re so nice you can forget your credit card, and they’ll say, ‘Don’t worry, we know you’ll come back and pay.’ They don’t do that at Target.”
That said, the Fidi mom, who’s been forced to hoof it to New Jersey and Brooklyn for bulk shopping, said her trips to the outer boroughs will be far less frequent now that targest here.
“I never will again,” she said.
Denise Courter, a mother of two and creator of fidifamilies.com, said she was impressed at the new store’s use of space, fitting a wide range of products into a comparatively snug layout — but still with room for strollers!
