UPDATES ON TARGETThe Hixson Target store has remodeled its interior, and the Gunbarrel Road store will follow suit by June 26. The biggest changes come to the grocery section, where hundreds of items will be added. Changes in other departments include:Beauty - signs offering makeup tipsHome - more displaysShoes - benches and mirrorsBaby - streamlined layoutsSource: Target
Justina Durfee has a 4-year-old, a 2-year-old and a baby on the way, so she was glad see her area get another grocery option that could save her time and money.
She said its Target's deals and convenience that bring her to the Hixson store, which recently finished a massive remodel to offer produce and hundreds of other new items.
"It's like a one-stop shop now," she said Wednesday afternoon, her basket overflowing with groceries. She had only come in to pick up some eggs.
The Hixson Target opened its remodel about a month ago and has experienced a 25 percent jump in sales, according to Barbara Wallace, the manager heading area remodels.
"It's running really well right now. It's brought in quite a bit of traffic," said Derrek Williamson, an assistant manager at the Hixson location. "We get a lot of new guests, especially with the marketing that we're doing. The existing guests are definitely buying more, as well."
The Gunbarrel Road Target store will stay open through the whole remodel process. Employees are about halfway done with the project, which is scheduled for completion by June 26.
Chattanooga is the first market in the region to receive upgrades, which Target plans to expand to all its 1,767 stores. Each renovation costs between $2 million and $4 million.
Upgrades will change the way stores are laid out and bring in hundreds of new products including prepackaged produce, meat, bakery and deli items.
Soddy-Daisy native Sylvia Crownover had her first Target shopping experience since the upgrade Wednesday. She had just stopped into Target to pick up a few things and said she may come back to do her full grocery shopping.
"I didn't even know this was here until I smelled the bananas," she said.
Crownover's husband does most of the grocery shopping, but she said the next time shopping duties fall to her, she may come back to Target rather than walk across the huge footprints of competitors like Walmart.
"I'd consider it," she said. "Sometimes it's not worth it when you're older and your legs are bad."