Target Corporation confirmed Thursday that Comox Valley shoppers will soon eye the iconic red and white bulls eye, as the company announced this week it will open a store in the Driftwood Mall in 2013.
Spokesperson Lisa Gibson said the company, who purchased the leasehold to the current Zellers location, will begin remodelling the site within six to nine months.
"We will invest between $10 million to $11 million dollars to remodel the facility, with the goal to bring the true U.S. brand experience to Canada," she explained. "Canadian customers have told us they want to have the same brand experience in Canada as they do when they shop at Target stores in the United States."
Gibson added the company has been looking at a variety of locations and sites, and determined factors such as demographics and current marketplace competition made the Comox Valley an ideal spot for the store.
She added the store will not expand in size, but will undergo a thorough remodelling. Gibson noted the type, assortment and price of merchandise has yet to be determined if it will parallel that in U.S. stores.
"We truly want to bring the Target culture and experience to Canadian shoppers," she said.
The Courtenay Target store is scheduled to open in summer 2013, and will employ between 150 to 200 team members. Gibson explained current Zellers employees will not be automatically transferred to new positions at Target.
"Because of the company transfer, (the employees) would have to reapply for jobs," she said.
Target had previously announced it would open 125 to 135 stores in Canada, the majority of which will open next year.
The Minneapolis-based company operates 1,767 stores across the U.S.
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