Shot Down

   U.S retail giant Target stores opened in Canada just about 2 years ago. Today, the company announced all 133 will be closed, since they don't expect to turn a profit until 2021. And not too many people will be crying over this either. Target set themselves up for a fall when they moved here. It seems they didn't do their homework when it came to Canadians and how they shopped. It is different than Americans.
   Then, there's location, location, location. They took over Zellers stores which, by themselves, were not the best. I know of at least one store that needed massive renovations before Target could open. And in a lot of markets, Zellers was on it's deathbed. But Target did nothing to improve what had happened with Zellers. Shelves were bare, what was on the shelves was not competitively priced with their main rival Walmart, nor even with the U.S stores. And customer service was a joke. Is it any wonder they failed so epically?
   Even now that they're heading back south of the 49th, the closure is going to cost Target dearly. Shutting down those expensively purchased locations will be done under court supervision. The company expects to lose 500 to 600 MILLION dollars shutting things up. And that includes severance for the nearly 18 thousand employees. They'll be getting 16 weeks salary as compensation.
   Now the big question is who is going to take over the stores? I think we can safely rule out a return of Zellers (even though I liked the food they served in their restaurants). In fact, I don't see any big box company on the horizon willing to take the same risk Target did and move in to the vacated stores.
   I guess Target's aim was off. They sure missed the bull's-eye.
   'Nuff said