Have you ever scrolled through TikTok watching YouTubers show off their amazing Target finds and wondered why the inventory at your local store never seems to be nearly as good? Do some buyers really have a better eye for recognition? The best of Studio McGee's Christmas collection and stumbled upon a gold mine Designer-approved Target finds? Or could it be that some Targets are just better than others – and you happen to live near one of the lackluster big box stores?
According to the Minnesota-based company, there are a total of 1,963 Target stores in the United States. By and large, each store offers a relatively similar experience – aisles divided into the same categories and the “Dollar Spot” bins at the front of the stores. But they are not identical. According to the company, each Target store is tailored to the neighborhood, from the artwork on display to the product assortment.
Target says the majority of the U.S. population lives within 10 miles of one of its stores. The good news is that there is a way to determine if the company near you has better inventory. Here's how to tell you're near one of the “good” stores, according to designers who frequently shop at the store.
1. Shop at Targets near complementary stores
Look for Targets that are in good company, says Coco Silver, an avid Target shopper and founder and designer of Coco Home LLC, an upscale home staging company based in California's Silicon Valley. “We tend to have the best luck at Target stores in densely populated areas with neighboring grocery stores, pharmacies and hardware stores,” Silver says. “In more rural areas, we’ve noticed that Target acts as the community’s one-stop shop.”
Targets in such shopping areas, she says, seem to have larger sections dedicated to linens, art and decor.
2. Look for Targets next to HomeGoods and Marshalls
“My favorite Target home decor store shares space with a Marshall's, and the competition obviously keeps everyone on their toes,” says Brooke Droptini, founder and CEO of LittleCreek+Coa boutique design company in Tyler, Texas that shops at Target several times a week. She calls this complementary shopping environment the “car dealership effect.” “Think about it: Car dealerships band together because they create a destination for shoppers, and I swear the same principle applies to Target.”
Her favorite Target always has a wide selection of home goods, thoughtful seasonal displays and shelves that feel constantly stocked, she says. In contrast, another Target nearby, which is an isolated store, always seems a bit chaotic and has a less curated selection.
(If you are also a TJMaxx shopper, see here 7 Ways to Find Out If Your HomeGoods is One of the Good Ones).
3. The store is oversized
Target says its stores vary in size, from the smaller ones just several thousand feet to the largest, which have a footprint of 200,000 square feet.
“The bigger the store, the better,” Silver says. “You know it's good when it's two stories high and has a large, well-maintained parking lot. Bonus points if there’s a parking garage.”
4. You can shop at Home Decor Vignettes
In addition to offering more space for inventory, the larger Targets can also showcase their interiors in stylized vignettes that include blankets thrown over chairs. The Targets that have such separate, showroom-like spaces for their home collections are often well-stocked with the Hearth & Hand portfolio (Chip & Joanna Gaines' Target line) and the Studio McGee collection.
5. They have a fantastic selection of clearance items
Top Targets have well-organized clearance areas that are worth exploring, says Droptini. The very best stores accept returns that are not part of the store's regular inventory, such as: B. Special decorations, online-only finds and seasonal goods that were returned in new condition. These items can be discounted by up to 70 percent before shipping “Salvage Shops” like thrift stores. However, you have to be quick at the best stores, as clearance items tend to sell out quickly (often before they're marked down by more than 40 percent).
6. Casa Luna's bedding is well-appointed
Designers love Casa Luna bedding. In fact, Silver says when she finds a really good comforter from Casa Luna, she sometimes buys up to ten of them for her stage company. If you find a well-stocked store with this line and Studio McGee's timeless accessories, it's a good sign that you're among the elite targets.
7. Your destination is in a university town
Um 30 goals are close to university campuses. While these stores get busy in August and September, when college students boomerang back to campus, they have a unique advantage during the holidays: They're nearly empty, like here Reddit thread points out. So if you're having a hard time finding Black Friday deals or picking out Christmas decorations at your local store, consider heading to one of the Targets near a college campus where students are huddling together for final exams study and then return home for the holidays.
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