Another business on Northwest 13th Street will bite the dust in about three months.
The Target beneath The Standard at Gainesville at 250 NW 13th St. is closing its doors June 11 due to years of underperforming sales, wrote a Target spokesperson.
The decision to close the store was a difficult one, and it followed a rigorous evaluation process that assessed the performance of the store, the spokesperson wrote.
“All eligible store team members will be offered the option to transfer to the Gainesville Target store on Archer Road,” the spokesperson added.
While employees may be able to make the drive to a Target that is more than a 10-minute drive from campus, many students without a car cannot.
This retail giant is a hub for students who live on campus and need groceries and supplies within walking distance of dorms, although it is much smaller than an average Target store.
Of course, the location is also popular among students who live in nearby apartments.
Marina Fernandez, a second-year biomedical engineering major, is a resident of the Standard at Gainesville and shops at the store about once a week.
“It was so convenient because I would alternate between going to Publix or Target,” she said. “I would go to Publix to do the main grocery shopping, but then for Target, I would get clothes or different things that Publix doesn't really have.”
Fernandez does not have a car in Gainesville, so access to a department store right beneath her building is convenient, she said.
She was surprised to hear about the location’s closure but does not have a preference for what type of business takes over the space.
“As long as they don't leave it empty, and they do take advantage of the space, I don't mind,” she added.
Contact Carissa at callen@alligator.org or follow her on Twitter @carissaallenn .
Carissa Allen is a third-year journalism and political science double major. She is excited to continue her work on the Metro desk this semester as the East Gainesville Reporter. In her free time, you can find her scuba diving, working out or listening to a podcast.
