Target May Eventually Replace Bookstore in Price Center

UC San Diego and Target Corporation are currently considering the establishment of a small Target store on campus.

The official meeting to discuss the details of this proposal will take place today, where Target representatives will meet with UCSD students, faculty, and staff and give presentations about the project. The “Target Open House” meeting is scheduled from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in the Forum in Price Center West. Admission is free to all students, faculty, and staff.

“[At the event], campus staff from Real Estate and the Bookstore will make brief presentations on how discussions with Target began, why Target is being considered for campus, the exciting future plans for the Bookstore in the proposed Triton Pavilion, and timing if a deal with Target did go forward,” said Jeff Graham, Executive Director of the Real Estate Office of UCSD. “Target representatives will also make brief presentations about Target’s small campus stores, student hiring practices, customization of merchandise, corporate culture, and commitment to social responsibility, pricing, etc.”

As early as Fall Quarter 2017, Target representatives reached out to the UCSD Retail Council regarding a possible mini-Target location on campus that would replace the UCSD Bookstore at Price Center, as reported in a Sixth College Student Council meeting on November 16. According to the proposal, a Target Express or Target City would start out on the second floor of the Bookstore until the Bookstore moves into the planned Triton Pavilion project, then ultimately take up the entire Bookstore space over time.

“I think that the student body will appreciate the easy access to everyday items, especially since the nearest Target is about eight miles away,” said Alex Morrow, a UCSD student. “As a student, I usually have to do a lot of planning ahead when going to Target on a weekday. Since I drive, I have to make sure not to leave during rush hour and I have to worry about finding parking when I get back to campus. I also have to ensure that I give myself enough time before or in between my classes…Having an on-campus Target will help eliminate the planning that most students, like myself, have to make ahead of time.”   

The Target Open House event will address a variety of concerns regarding the proposal, including questions about the higher costs of Target products due to the inclusion of taxes, similar to the Starbucks at Price Center, competition with other college grab-n-go markets, and whether it should accept Triton Cash. Target representatives will also be available to answer individual questions and to seek ideas and input from students.

Target would be the second major corporation to set up at the Bookstore in recent years, the first being the Amazon store. The Amazon store, which opened in 2016, established UCSD as “the first higher education institution in the region to have an Amazon pickup point located on campus, and one of just 17 in the nation,” according to UC San Diego News Center.

Anabel King is a staff writer at The Triton.

Correction: This article was updated on February 21, 2018 at 1:07 p.m. A previous version of this article may have left the incorrect impression that the University Centers Advisory Board influences the decision to bring Target to campus. Alex Morrow, while on the University Centers Advisory Board, was not speaking on behalf of the board or its members. University Centers does not administer the Bookstore space or the Amazon location. The article has been updated to clarify this.