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Local Businesses Anxious About New Target Store
posted 4:48 pm Fri March 07, 2008 - Washington
The wave of shoppers checking out the new Target is a boom for some local businesses.
"It's been great these past three days. Since it's been open our business has doubled. We knew it was going to happen and we are happy it's working out just as we thought it was," said Rhianna Ortiz, manager of The Heights Restaurant.
Clerks at Elizabeth Fashion are stocking the shelves in anticipation of a busy weekend, but Salmeron worries about her customers flocking to Target and her profits sinking.
Some local retailers are already slashing prices to compete with Target and the other chain stores that will open at the D.C. USA shopping center.
"Maybe it's cheaper, I don't know," Salmeron said.
Haldane Prince know the new stores will have an impact of his business. He just hopes it's a positive one.
"What that does is it gives the stores in the area more visibility and more visibility means more foot traffic, more foot traffic means more business," said Prince, of Brown's Furniture.
While opinions about the impact of the new Target Store and shopping mall vary, all agree doing business in Columbia Heights will be different from now on.
Columbia Heights resident Rosie Jackson likes the new Target, "I think it's nice very nice and the prices is reasonable too."
Jackson walked several blocks from her house with her friend Lewis White. They believe most of the other people checking out the new target are from Columbia Heights as well.
The idea behind the complex which will house several big box stores, is drawing shoppers from across the district.
Kim Chase plans to make Columbia Heights a regular shopping destination, "A lot of people gonna come it's not just gonna be neighborhood people I came from Southeast."
In other parts of the city, the lure of the suburbs still beckons. Philip Black says why go downtown when you can just buzz to Maryland, "I'll still go to the suburbs Well it's it's so convenient up in this area."
Retailers in Columbia Heights are banking on shoppers from closer in neighborhoods.
While target hopes to draw from all quadrants of the city, it's manager believes there are enough customers right here in Columbia Heights to make this store profitable, "I think it can be a success in the neighborhood."
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