BY WIL CREWS
SPORTSCREWS@OPELIKAOBSERVER.COM
AUBURN —
The new Target in downtown Auburn officially opened its doors last week.
The store welcomed customers a few days earlier than anticipated, but held an official grand opening Sunday, July 16. The completion of the retail destination comes after nearly a year of construction that began following the Auburn City Council’s approval of the project in May 2022.
The 19,200-square-foot retail space is located on the ground floor of the Godbold Building, which also features 32 newly-crafted apartments on the two floors above. The building includes additional parking in the back with walkways for easy access in and around the complex.
Target offers guests the opportunity of a one-stop shop for all their retailing needs. Some of the mostly commonly purchased items at Target, according to statista.com, are: Beauty products and essentials, food and beverages, home furnishings and décor, and apparel and accessories. And yes, the downtown Target will sell alcohol as the Auburn City Council approved its alcohol and beverage licenses.
“We’re excited to bring the joy of Target to new guests, and we’re committed to serving our guests in the form of friendly, helpful, in stock, clean and organized services, tailored to the needs of the Auburn community” said Tony Thigpen, store director of the new Auburn Target store. “We offer a wide assortment of Target’s top owned and national brands spanning across grocery, cosmetics, essentials, home goods, adult apparel and much more, as well as a convenient CVS pharmacy. Guests can also shop on their own terms with our easy, contactless and industry-leading Drive Up and Order Pickup — ready within a couple of hours with no membership required for the easiest shopping experience in retail.”
Target has been an active partner in the Auburn area since opening its first store in 2005. This location will be the second store in the greater Auburn area, which all together employs approximately 320 team members.
Since 2017, Target has invested in pay and benefits for its employees that include a $15 to $24 per hour starting wage range, tuition-free education assistance, access to counseling services and doctors and more stable schedules.
For more information on the new Target in downtown Auburn (located at 129 College St.) visit Target Auburn on Facebook.
