Why I Like Target

By kate on January 14th, 1998

I’m finally going to come out of the closet as someone who not only shops at, but loves Target. Now that you’re sitting down, let me explain why. For one thing, it’s got everything. Any possible thing you want for your household is there. Things I’ve bought at Target: Racquetball gloves, clothes, toys, snacks, seasonal candy, shoes, lingerie, a shower curtain, dishes, CDs, closet-organizing containers, a grilled cheese sandwich, cosmetics. Where else can you get all those things in one place? I hear someone saying “Fred Meyer.” Perhaps, but all the clothes at Fred Meyer are ugly.

Second reason is that there are so many cheap things there.

Third is that I actually like some of their clothes. Sure, they have the PTA-mother-wear section, and lots of maternity clothes; but it’s a great place for finding things I will wear. I hate spending money on clothes I don’t love, so I’m kind of picky. Once I got a pair of purple velvet jean-style pants there, for about $17! And I’m not, I swear, a woman who loves to shop. Not at all. I can go to Target and get anything I need in one fell swoop.

But, I know, there are several stores like Target. (Incidentally, why isn’t there a name for them? They aren’t really “department stores”…) K-Mart, Walgreens, Fred Meyer, Mervyns. What makes Target better? It’s kind of hard to put a finger on. But I think it’s because Target is unpretentious. Its color scheme is simple: RED. It knows its niche and is comfortable there.

After reading this, Sean Blair sent me a handy tip:

notice the last number is a 4