Target "recovering" from overwhelming traffic; opening 17 stores Tuesday

Target announced on Monday the “soft opening” dates for 21 locations across Southwestern Ontario.

On Tuesday morning, 17 stores will swing open their doors to consumers, and another four will come online next Thursday.

The openings follow the launch earlier this month of three pilot stores west of Toronto. According to John Morioka, vice-president of merchandising for Target Canada, those stores have been consistently “slammed."

“We thought that there would be an initial bump and what I would say is that the bump has not levelled off to the degree that we thought,” Morioka said during a media tour of Target’s East York Town Centre location. “That has probably been the most surprising part of it and we haven’t been able to recover.”

Shoppers have been vocal about their disappointments at Target's first three stores on social media. Some have complained about barren shelves (despite signage throughout stores announcing "we're in the process of stocking up so you can too"), higher-than-expected prices and spoiled food, reports the Toronto Star.

But Morioka says it's all a learning experience, and Target has adjusted their systems in response.

“We’ve been tuning the dials, so to speak, for the past two weeks,” he said, noting they have improved truck-to-shelf delivery.

According to a release, this latest wave of store openings will allow Target to continue volume testing.

Locations opening on Tuesday, March 19:

Ajax - Durham Centre

Aurora - Aurora Shopping Centre

Brampton - Shoppers World Brampton

Burlington - Millcroft Centre

Cambridge - Cambridge Centre

Etobicoke - Cloverdale Mall

Hamilton - Centre Mall

Lindsay - Lindsay Square Mall

London - Masonville Place

London - Westmount Shopping Centre

Newmarket - Upper Canada Mall

Orillia - Orillia Square Mall

Toronto - Centrepoint Mall

Toronto - East York Town Centre

Waterdown - Flamborough Power Centre

Whitby - Taunton Road Power Centre

Windsor - Devonshire Mall

Locations opening on Thursday, March 28:

Brampton - Trinity Common

Burlington - Burlington Mall

Mississauga - Square One Shopping Centre

Toronto - Shoppers World Danforth