Target is stocking up on employees.
Ahead of its scheduled fall opening, Target Corp. is seeking to fill approximately 100 jobs in its La Cañada Flintridge location, according to company spokeswoman Jacqueline DeBuse.
As construction workers busily prepare the 45,000-square-foot space for its opening, a “We’re Hiring” sign hangs prominently above the entrance to the store that formerly was occupied by Sport Chalet, the LCF-born sports retailer that went out of business in 2016.
Opening in its place, probably in October, will be a “small format” Target. It will carry a “curated” collection of merchandise intended to appeal to local shoppers, according to previous statements by Target executives.
In LCF, that means shoppers can expect apparel and accessories for the family, as well as a grocery selection that will include produce; an elevated assortment of beauty supplies; home and decor essentials; and a CVS Pharmacy and a Starbucks.
According to the company’s website, the department store is seeking to fill staff positions throughout the store, including cashier, visual merchandiser and Starbucks workers, among other jobs.
Last year, Target’s chief human resources officer announced in a news release that the company was increasing its wages to an $11 minimum hourly rate company-wide (matching California’s current minimum wage), and that it was committed to moving to a $12-an-hour wage in 2018 before increasing that to $15 an hour by the end of 2020.
“Target offers market-competitive wages to its team members in cities across the country,” said DeBuse, noting that the company also extends various education benefits, including tuition and GED reimbursement.
“This investment in the team will allow Target to continue to recruit and retain strong team members and provide an elevated experience for its guests and in the communities it serves,” DeBuse said.
Locally, the news of Target coming to LCF’s Town Center was met with mixed feelings, including concerns about potential parking issues that could be posed by both shoppers and staff.
With a combination of surface parking and roof parking, the site has 171 spaces of its own, and it will be able to take advantage of sharing the parking deck in Town Center and parking at other nearby businesses. That amount of available parking, including shared parking in the area, falls just short of the city’s normal requirements for a retail center with that square footage, the Planning Commission acknowledged in a meeting earlier this year.
The city is requiring Target to install shopping cart corrals that won’t reduce the number of parking spaces on site, and also to limit product delivery to 5 a.m. to midnight, add signage to help direct customers throughout the parking lots and improve pedestrian walkways.
Six months after the store’s opening, LCF plans to conduct a parking and traffic impact review to assess whether Target needs to make any changes to improve its parking or effect on local traffic.
For information about job openings, including how to apply, visit Target.com/careers.
