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Jordan Taylor
The Target on Hillsborough Street had it's grand opening ceremony on Wednesday, Nov. 7. The store replaced the popular bowling alley "The Alley" which was a staple to NC State culture, this Target has reused many things from the bowling alley, it has also added decoration in the store to make it very much a part of NC State's culture.
Hillsborough Street’s brand new Target opened up on Nov. 8 with a modern, open feel that is effortlessly noticeable as soon as shoppers walk through the front doors. The layout of the store is clear, with a broad selection of items including clothing, pharmacy items, technology, groceries and bed/bath. As there are many things the new Hillsborough Street shopping destination has to offer NC State students, a top-five list is in order for efficient Target usage.
1.Transportation Options
For students looking to venture into the new Target, transportation is not an issue. Target’s free shuttle is a pristine amenity for college students of all kinds. These small, white vehicles run to and from Target to campus, and are offered until Dec. 16. The shuttles will be running every Thursday, Friday and Saturday for the next three weeks from 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. each day. Caitlin Flanagan, a senior team leader in guest experience at Target, explained the shuttle system.
“We have the target vehicles going around campus,” Flanagan said. “We have three that will be running three times a week. You can literally flag them down and they’ll take you from campus to Target and back to campus. It’s completely free and you just get in. It helps people who are buying their groceries. You can just come in on that and take it back to exactly where you were. It’s a huge benefit.”
Another added benefit of the new Target is the addition of a parking garage right on Hillsborough Street. For many students the location is walkable, but for those who would rather drive, there is no need to stress about parking because the garage is free for those shopping.
An additional option is the bus with a stop located on Hillsborough Street. Jonathan Sadler, a third-year studying business administration and a general team member at Target, benefits greatly from the bus stop’s location.
“I commute to and from my house and it’s nice having a job that’s local along with a bus stop across the street,” Sadler said.
2. The On-the-Go section
The On-the-Go section is located in the refrigerated grocery section of the store, providing students with quick prepackaged meals. These are great options for a quick, cheap and healthy meal or snack between classes. Here students can find salads, wraps, cheese trays and Panera Bread to-go meals all under $6.
3. Fresh Produce and Groceries
The recently opened Target offers students a place to buy a wide selection of produce and additional groceries within walking distance to campus. The aisles are filled with all of one’s cooking and eating needs, from fresh fruits and vegetables to various baked goods for shoppers to choose from.
Katherine Dull, a second-year studying technology, engineering and design graphic communication, said she shops at Target about once a week.
“I think [being able to walk and get groceries] is really nice especially for students living on campus since they don’t have access to actual grocery stores,” Dull said. “They can just walk onto Hillsborough Street and go get it.”
4. CVS Pharmacy
Target’s pharmacy provides students with a place to fill prescriptions, and shop for over-the-counter pharmaceutical items.
Jonathan Beam, the pharmacist at the CVS in Target, explained the growth of the location since the opening, and the fact that it is a full service pharmacy.
“We’re starting to grow and hopefully we’ll continue to grow,” Beam said. “CVS is just the pharmacy itself but as a pharmacist I’m here to help with over-the-counter items, recommendations for cold and flu, vitamin questions or general health care questions. We’re here to help and happy to help.”
5. NC State Gear
In the clothing section there is a selection of NC State clothing and accessories including hats, sweatshirts, T-shirts and other items. The T-shirts range in price from $15-20, hats around $15 and jackets are from $35-40.
Flanagan commented on the pricing of Target’s NC State swag.
“With clothing items we offer a huge amount of NC State apparel with awesome competitive prices where you can get a lot of stuff without having to spend a fortune,” Flanagan said.
These are only a few options that Target offers students at its advantageous location to campus. Those who have not already checked out the new Target should see for themselves what the hype is all about — and soak in the hidden benefits of Target.