Target's got balls. Big red ones. There aren't a lot of retailers out there that have what it takes to install 3-foot orbs at their entrances.
Target installed them late last year after it whupped poor Kmart's ass into retail oblivion.
On paper, the two aren't that different. Both carry much the same stuff and follow the same formula: well-stocked snack counter; affordable apparel for her, him, teen, toddler and child; baby section; garden section; toy section; gadget section with DVDs, CDs and all the other digital equipment decent enough to satisfy regular people; a housewares section with all the basics; a decent pharmacy; school supplies; and a snack-food section. And don't forget the seasonals.
To its credit, Kmart wins the garden center award with its outdoor plant section. Target has chosen not to enter that marketplace but customers don't seem to notice. Of course, Kmart made a brilliant attempt to bring some energy to its housewares department when it tapped Martha Stewart—recently released from prison and now under house arrest—and her signature line of decorative, color-coordinated paint, fabric and patterns for home.
But, we'd like to think of it as a matter of lighting. Yes, lighting. Target customers are automatically put at ease by the subdued candescense of recessed lighting throughout the stores. The clothes there look more attractive because customers feel a little more attractive while shopping. Kmart's brighter-than-life lighting is an assault on the eyeballs and only serves to make its merchandise look a little sickly, as do shoppers under the fluorescent green haze.
However, as important as lighting is, it all comes down to the matter of cool. The stuff Target sells these days is a lot cooler than the stuff you'll find at Kmart.
Long ago, Target learned that regular people like stuff that looks cool, and it helps if real designers create it. So it enlisted the help of some famous names to add some cha-cha-cha to the store's houseware and clothing lines. Michael Graves' egg-inspired designs were the first. Now, Target has added Philippe Starck's brilliant home and office wares that are both functional and decorative, and fashion maverick Isaac Mizrahi, a critically acclaimed New York designer who soared too close to the sun in the mid-'90s, has a small yet strong line of fashion-forward clothes. Plus, Target's clever ad campaign helps as much as good lighting.
Anne Kellogg is a native Las Vegan with a thing for purchasing stuff. E-mail her at
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