A Case Study: Target

Presented by Joanne Aartman and Rabeeh Ahmadi

Our case study takes place at Target in Huntington Beach, CA on Brookhurst and Adams.  We decided to study this location because it is a new building (built in 2010-2011).  Target—in an attempt to compete with Wal Mart—decided to demolish the old building and build a new one complete with a grocery department.  The new building faces east and is positioned in the middle of the shopping center whereas the previous building faced north and was positioned in the north-east corner of the shopping center.  

When entering Target, there are 2 kinds of carpet tiles: the first one looks and feels like a Brillo Pad and is extra absorbent and durable according to a manager.  The second carpet tile is also grey and durable but softer and functions to “clean” shoes as people walk into the store.  These carpet tiles are holding up well and can be easily replaced one tile at a time when needed.

On the walls of the entrance, there is beige vinyl wall covering up to 42” high and then there is paint.  The vinyl wall covering allows for a clean, sleek look that is easy to maintain.  The paint however shows signs of wear and tear.  On the bottom of the wall, there is rubber baseboard.  There are some scuff marks on the baseboard, but it is not very visible since the baseboard is grey.  Overall, the condition of the baseboard is good and it appears quite durable. 

 In the bathrooms, there are 2 types of tile.  One tile is on the wall.  White 6”x6” ceramic wall tile.  And the second tile is 8”x8” ceramic floor tile in beige with black grout.  Both products appear in good shape and are quite durable. 

From the bathroom and the carpeted part of the entrance, customers walk onto white terrazzo tile.  The tile is a good product to use because it looks clean and can also be replaced or repaired easily.  There is evidence of replacement tiles in between display cases and in the new “self” check out stations.

In the women’s clothing section, carpet is used as the floor finish.  It is a grey and red pattern carpet, but it is easy to see the wear and tear on this product, which is interesting because this area doesn’t have as much traffic as the entrance.  

In the Starbuck’s café, café tables and chairs are made of laminate tops and metal bases.  These tables and chairs are holding up well; there are scratches on most surfaces but overall these products appear in good shape for everyday use.  There are 2 colors of tile in the café area both in 18”x18”.  One 18”x18” tile is a ceramic tile made to look like honed Travertine and the other 18”x18” tile is a ceramic tile made to look like walnut-onyx pattern Travertine. 

This case study of Target in Huntington Beach has taught us that many factors go into building and creating commercial retail spaces.  The materials selected matter, need to perform in varying elements, and must be durable.  Without these considerations, a retail space will look not be inviting to consumers.