New store Targets City Avenue

Not every store opening attracts more than 100 people - including the front-running candidate for mayor - who are well-aware they won't be able to buy anything.

But the large Target retail store that is opening on City Avenue and Monument Road, in Wynnefield, did just that last night - a sign of the neighborhood's hunger for shopping opportunities and jobs.

During the store's preview yesterday, music blared from large speakers, cake and cookies were passed around and an energetic mascot posed with attendees. Store officials plan a "soft opening" today with the official grand opening on Sunday.

Michael Nutter, the Democratic mayoral nominee, mingled with employees and their families and community leaders at the event. He commended the City Avenue Special Services District for work in getting a big attraction, like Target, "in such a premiere location."

"This will be one of the best-performing Target stores in the network," Nutter said to thunderous applause.

While in City Council, Nutter represented the 4th District, where the store is situated, and worked out a five-year plan with the Special Services District to bring in developments that would revitalize City Avenue, he said.

"It takes a lot to make projects like this happen," he said. "We held numerous meetings, and the community even had a say in the store's design."

The site was previously a 22-story Adam's Mark Hotel, which closed in 2004.

Chris Case, Target's senior real-estate-group manager, said the hotel chain wanted to sell the 14-acre piece of land to another hotel chain, but Target, he said, jumped in.

"We saw the opportunity to have a Target in a great area," he said.

Target bought the land for $28 million.

Nearly 300 people have been hired to work at the 160,000-square-foot space, said store team leader Mike Visco. The store is still accepting applications, although there "are no immediate needs," he said.

For the hundreds of red-shirt-clad "team members," workdays so far have consisted of training, stocking and pushing heavy crates of inventory.

Visco said he expects the store to draw considerable traffic.

"With all these office buildings and supermarkets around, it's going to be popular," he said. *