Smaller Style Target coming to Bethesda in March

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by Prince Of Petworth January 4, 2017 at 10:40 am 39 Comments

target-bethesda
6831 Wisconsin Ave

Thanks to a reader for sending the photo. Target’s website says:

“2017 store openings
March
Bethesda, MD

Located at The Shops of Wisconsin.
Approx. 35,500 sq. ft.
Merchandise includes men’s, women’s and kids’ apparel and accessories, toys, sporting goods, fresh, grab-and-go groceries and meal solutions, a health and beauty assortment, curated home assortment with a focus on décor pieces, and portable technology accessories.
Services offered: Pharmacy and Order Pick-up.”

For comparison the Target in Columbia Heights is 180,000 square feet.

shmoo

Kind of surprised this is going in there. Traffic generally is horrible at that stretch of Wisconsin Ave. Gonna make everything worse i imagine.
- BettyinFH
  
  that plus the existing hellacious parking that is the Trader Joe’s lot = disaster?
Anonymous

That parking lot is a disaster. How do they plan to accommodate additional cars when they can’t even handle the existing situation with TJ’s?
- Prince Of Petworth
  
  I was wondering about that too!
- LP
  
  +1 It looks like I will never go to that TJ’s again!
lemeow

I wish Target would open up another store in DC. The one in Columbia Heights is always a train wreck. Perhaps that could alleviate some of it.
- Tsar of Truxton
  
  I would think the Dakota Crossing center would be a great location for Target.
  - d
    
    Could be wrong, but I think at some point a Target at Dakota Crossing was in the plan but the deal fell through.
    - James
      
      Target was originally slated to be at Dakota Crossing where Lowe’s currently is. I heard that once talks of an increase in the DC minimum wage started Target cancelled their plans.
      - textdoc
        
        Interesting.
  - Hill Denizen
    
    That isn’t particularly convenient to a lot of people. The advantage of the one in Columbia Heights is that it’s right at the metro. If I had a car, I would just hop over to the one at Potomac Yard.
  - stacksp
    
    Perfect location. That or the new development coming to New York or RI Avenue
  - divebar311
    
    Have you been to Dakota Crossing lately? There is only one road to get in and the same to go out. Only getting worse with the new stores opening. Whoever designed the traffic pattern must have designed the same for MGM…
    - stacksp
      
      Entrance off Rt 50/295, Entrance of South Dakota, Entrance off of Ft Lincoln Drive, access via Comodore Joshua Barney
- Hill Denizen
  
  Wasn’t there a city Target coming in downtown?
  - Anon
    
    Thinking something like 10 years back? Perhaps at Columbia Heights somewhere? Not sure.
    - d
      
      Is this snark? Because CH is definitely not downtown unless you’re an unsuspecting airbnber.
      - Hill Denizen
        
        Haha, no I thought it was proposed for around the Barnes and Noble or something. Memory is fuzzy.
randomduck

This is similar to the mini-Target in Rosslyn. It’s a tested model for dense urban spaces.
- U neighbor
  
  IMO the one in Rosslyn is pretty bad. Went there and found only 1 of the 10 things I was looking for. I feel like it’s a problem with the entire concept — people go to Target only every so often, usually to find home goods (people have specific tastes), hygiene products (which people tend to be pretty brand-specific about), and clothes (same). Trying to sell those items without the variety that people expect from Target is a poor proposition, in my opinion.
  And buying food at Target? Has anyone ever found their food remotely edible?
  - Khris
    
    I agree. The whole point of stores like Target is that they’re huge and have a huge selection of things.
    - CHGal
      
      These mini-Targets are more like a Walgreens than a regular Target.
  - Tsar of Truxton
    
    I know people who grocery shop at target. Most things people buy at grocery stores come in boxes or sealed containers, so who cares what shelf they were sitting on?
    - textdoc
      
      I frequently grocery-shop at Target. Sure, there’s not a lot in the way of produce, but if you’re buying things like cereal, canned goods, frozen dinners, etc., it’s fine.
      .
      I haven’t been to any of these mini-Targets, so I don’t know how they compare to regular Target. But for someone who doesn’t buy a lot of produce, a regular Target can be a very good “one-stop shop.”
      - U neighbor
        
        Yeah I agree that boxed food is all the same. My cooking style relies more on fresh produce, meats, dairy, etc., all of which is so bad at Target that I’m not sure why they even offer it.
        Probably why I love Trader Joe’s so much. Their pre-packaged takes some getting used to, but I’ve found their produce to be pretty fresh.
        .
        ::pulls pin on Trader Joe’s comment grenade and backs away::
Blithe

I’m glad that there’s going to be a Target, even a mini-target in the area — but, as horrible as it is to drive and deal with the parking lot (will they share with Trader Joe’s?) — it’s not that easy to get to with public transportation either. It’s a long, and not-entirely pedestrian friendly walk from both the Bethesda and the Friendship Heights Metro’s, and as far as I know, there’s not a Metrobus that runs the stretch on Wisconsin between the two stations — which has always struck me as a gap that needs to be filled. There’s a RideOn bus, but I think it has limited hours.
. I’m still bemoaning the loss of the Honey Baked Ham store, since it’s the only one I’m aware of that was fairly easy to access without a car.
jumpingjack

That little shopping mall and its parking lot are already a mob scene. This will increase that exponentially.
.
They should bring a Trader Joe’s (and another mini-Target) to Takoma to draw crowds away from here. We’re willing to take one for the team.
SW,DC

mini target = glorified CVS

would like to see a full sized store on M St SW/SE
- Hill Denizen
  
  I think that’s actually a really good idea. There aren’t really any anchor type stores in the area yet, and I know a lot of people wouldn’t go to Columbia Heights or frequent some of the other businesses nearby if it weren’t for the Target. You make a Target run and stop in to Bed Bath and Beyond or DSW, grab a bite at one of the restaurants, etc. None of these places would compel you to go there on their own, but they get a lot of business because of the Target. SW/SE could use something like that to draw people who normally wouldn’t seek out these neighborhoods.
maxwell smart

Echoing others – the TJ’s parking lot is already a complete cluster-F on a good day… adding literally anything else, especially a Target… yikes! Guess I’ll be driving even further out into Maryland when I need go to TJ’s
SK

I think the Trader Joe’s is moving into a new building a bit farther north on Wisconsin…
- maxwell smart
  
  source? They are opening a new store in Rockville… I guess technically that is further north.
  - jeslett
    
    In addition to the one that’s already on 355 at Halpine?
    - Quotia Zelda
      
      Yes. Western Rockville near Fallsgrove.
- Anonymous
  
  About a year ago, there were reports of a Trader Joe’s to be located at 7900 Wisconsin, but I haven’t seen anything more recent. My first reaction when I saw this piece was wondering whether the TJ’s would be staying, but then realizing that I probably would only shop there if I was parking in one of the surface lots a block or so away, and not buying much because the parking is already a mess except at odd hours.
- Blithe
  
  I don’t know the address, but there’s already a Trader Joe’s near the Twinbrook Metro. Will there be another one in Rockville in addition to this?
  - Quotia Zelda
    
    Yep, but not Metro accessible – off Darnestown Road near Fallsgrove.
Sara R

Would love a target closer to Cap Hill (more like the columbia heights size)–plenty of big square footage in the H street/RI ave developments still up for grab. Otherwise, we just drive to Crystal City and that location is always packed.
Evan Tupac Grooter

I used to take Taekwondo in that Trader Joe’s (before it was a Trader Joe’s)

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