In each community where Target opens a new store, we're adding a chapter of growth — like in Denton, Texas.
Of course, Denton already had high growth potential. The town is home to two colleges — the University of North Texas and Texas Woman’s University — and to rapid development, with new highways, businesses and homes rising alongside its ranches and cattle pastures.
“It’s a little town that doesn’t realize it’s become a big town because it’s still friendly,” says Rick S., property management lead for Denton North (T-2917), which opened this past April, making it Target’s second store in the community.
Rick started with Target as a cart attendant nearly 20 years ago, returned as a college student and eventually found a life-long career at the Bullseye. “We still have that same vibe from when I first moved up here with the ranchers coming into town and the students,” he says. “And it's still that way, but on a huge scale now.”
As Target tracks to open more than 300 new stores like Denton North over the next decade, we’re adding to a story of growth for our business and to each of our communities, providing good jobs and the opportunity to work with great people, and bringing the magic of Target to more consumers.
It’s about showing up — for our newest team members, guests and neighborhoods.
“There’s a lot of pride that I have behind this grand opening and a chance for Target to make another positive impact on this community, on a lot of people,” says Store Director LaShon H., who oversaw Denton North’s opening and has led our stores in Plano and Dallas. “It’s not just a new Target store. It’s a destination.”
Growth goals
LaShon helped hire Denton North’s more than 200 team members, many of them locals and college students looking for a part-time job that fits their needs or a place to build a career. As a leader, one of the biggest compliments she gets is when team members show up with pride, ready to work. And she sees her own role in making this happen.
I call myself Coach LaShon here. We are like a football team when we are going through this journey. But a coach can’t be successful if their team doesn't show up, want to play for them, see the vision and then execute.
What’s even a bigger win? When one of those team members is inspired to take the lead, too.
“When I started with Target 18 years ago, I honestly didn't see a career,” says Mitch E., an executive team lead who started his Target career at our first Denton store. “But after I spent a couple of years as a team member, I had aspirations of wanting to be a leader. I had an executive team lead that I looked up to a lot and so I saw where I wanted to go and started thinking about a career with Target, not just a job to get me by.”
From there, he rose up the ranks to logistics, senior and then executive team leads for general merchandise and food. Now Mitch’s favorite part of his job? Getting to mentor, teach, train and develop aspiring leaders, too.
Rick shares the secret to North Denton’s strong talent pool.
[beeping]
We have two major universities here in Denton. We have the University of North Texas, and we have Texas Woman's University. That gives us a huge pool of people to draw on to get the best of the best to come work for Target. We're so fortunate, because I've worked at other stores that didn't have that pool to draw from. I think there's 50,000 students at UNT now and 6,000, I think, at TW, something like that. So that gives us a—just a huge pool. So that's one of the reasons I think the Target stores here are so successful is we're invested in the community. We hire in the community. And I think we reflect a lot of the community's values.
Groceries and more
At about 147,000 square feet, Denton North is one of our biggest new builds — and an example of what’s to come as we focus on large-format stores. With that extra space, it can accommodate a bigger-than-average fresh and frozen food and beverage section, including organic produce options, bakery and deli. Helping to keep the store in stock: our Dallas sortation center and Denton food and beverage supply chain facility, which serves our 158 stores in Texas.
From assortment to reliability, it’s a true differentiator.
“We can show up for guests for all their grocery needs where they don't have to look at a competitor,” says LaShon. “We can be their one and only, from fresh produce to amazingly priced meats. Everything is affordable and then joy can be given when you walk through the departments in our store. [It has guests saying] ‘This is bright, this is big. I’m glad you’re on this side of town.’”
More square footage also means room for an Apple at Target shop-in-shop, Starbucks Cafe, and large assortment of school supplies and sports apparel for local students. It also provides more room for a backroom fulfillment space that’s about five times larger than our older stores of a similar size, to support guests’ digital orders and our convenient Drive Up and Order Pickup same-day services.
LaShon shares Target’s same-day differentiator.
I think digital is where we get to show up in a space where that mom that just needs a couple things—she doesn't want to take the kids out of the car—she can show up, order it online, pick it up within 90 minutes, and then within 3 minutes, it's in her car.
Making a difference in Denton
In every community where we open a store, Target makes a commitment to serve and strengthen it. In 2024 in Texas, where we have nearly 160 stores, this amounted to more than $29.3 million in product and cash donations. And in the Dallas Fort Worth area, where Denton is located, Target provided:
Pounds of food to local food banks
Volunteer hours
In product and cash donations
That support doesn’t just come from the corporate level. It’s also powered by team members like LaShon, who are committed to treating everyone in the community as a Target guest. “I pride myself on doing that with everybody, whether it’s my leadership, a team member or a stranger in the parking lot,” she says.
This community support also comes through at our grand openings. At Denton North, this included appearances by the Dallas Mavericks dance team and our very own Bullseye mascot. Guests also had a chance to sign a community board and answer the question: What does Denton North mean to me and how can Target show up for this community?
I look forward to hearing and seeing those messages so I can deliver on what they want and need.
Denton North is the latest example of Target’s new store strategy in Texas, with two more locations slated to open later this year, and at least five more planned for the Dallas metro area over the next couple of years. Even better: This combination of newness and affordable choices, rewarding jobs and community commitment is rolling out to about 20 stores nationwide in 2025, with many more to come in the decade ahead.
