Zellers’ days at St. Albert Centre appear to be dwindling after Target announced it will be opening one of its first stores in the Edmonton region at that location next spring.
Target Canada spokesperson Lisa Gibson confirmed Thursday that the U.S. retail giant will be opening its St. Albert store at the Zellers location in the spring of 2013. Target Corporation paid $1.825 billion CDN in January 2011 to purchase the leasehold interests in up to 220 sites operated by Zellers Inc., a subsidiary of the Hudson’s Bay Company (HBC).
According to Gibson, Target will spend between six and nine months “significantly remodeling the facility,” and spend between approximately $11 million in doing so.
The announcement comes after a rumour started circulating over Twitter this week that stated the Zellers location will be closing later this summer. An HBC spokesperson confirmed in a voicemail that the store will close in August.
Gibson said the time and financial investment in the location will be substantial.
“It will be significant and the goal is to bring the U.S. Target experience to Canada. Our Canadian guests at U.S. locations have told us they truly want the U.S. brand experience.”
Gibson did not say if Target will be adding any additional mall space at St. Albert Centre to the Zellers location.
“At this point I don’t have a whole lot of details around each facility.”
Before it opens, Target will be hiring between 150 and 200 staff members, which Gibson said is double the number of Zellers employees in some locations. The store will hire its team leads this April, while hiring the rest of the staff later on this year.
“We’re encouraging not only current Zellers employees, but also other people in the St. Albert community to apply.”
Gibson was unable to say whether or not the Target store will be offering American brand merchandise not typically found in Canada.
“We’re still working through our merchandising strategy. Our goal really is to bring the U.S. Target brand experience to Canada.”
Target will also be opening stores in West Edmonton Mall, Bonnie Doon Shopping Centre and Mill Woods Town Centre in the spring of 2013. In total, Target plans to open between 125 and 135 stores across Canada, the majority of which it says will be open next year.
