Orange Park Target to Close

[Dapperdan]

The Roosevelt Target probably stays afloat with the base being right behind it. I bet on military pay days it is very busy. The Wells Road Target is in a strange spot for a Target. You can just go over Mandarin and find one there, hop over to Oakleaf and find one there or go a bit down 17 and find one there.  I am guessing they felt this one overlapped too much with the others. It is strange to hear about Target closing stores though. I had to have my debit card replaced because of the breach, but I still shop there.

[Cliffs_Daughter]

The Wells road Target was the first Target Store in Jacksonville. After that was Regency and Southside. The Wells road site was previously an apartment complex before the Target moved in there. Target was the first store in that plaza. The HD and others came after Target. It was the prototype Target store for the system and had district offices located adjacent to the security and office area.

Wells Rd was first only by maybe a month. The Southside location opened very soon after it did (I should know, I helped open it back in the day)
Akin to what others are saying, the garden center was pretty successful in other Targets until HD came around. But I know that the Southside location did well enough even with the HD next door. Competition and price matching on those plants helped. I don't know what Wells did differently, but I can surmise it had a lot to do with 2 newer locations opening AND the ease of getting in/out of those locations versus Wells.

Because let's face it: who hasn't seen what that intersection of Wells & Blanding looks like, and decided "nah, I'd rather not"?

[rvrsdediva]

This closure really did not surprise me, with the build up of Oakleaf and Fleming Island the only thing this Target really has is it's proximity to the Westside and OP Mall.  I live in the Lakeside area and I go to the Oakleaf Target so I don't have to deal with Blanding. I just hope something else goes in there to replace it.

[PeeJayEss]

This is one of the few locations in town with an Optical office. I wonder if they will move it into another one. The regular office for the DO there is Riverside.

[Overstreet]

........kleaf and find one there or go a bit down 17 and find one there.  I am guessing they felt this one overlapped too much with the others. ..........

Newspaper said is was declining revenues not territories. Of course revenue and overlap can be related.  They go after the revenue. I have known them to build on a closed land fill because it was in a place that would generate good revenue.

[I-10east]

The old OP Target is gonna become a Garden Ridge. Not to far up the road from me. Great news!

www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/blog/morning-edition/2014/06/confirmed-garden-ridge-sprouting-up-in-orange-park.html

[IrvAdams]

Garden Ridge is fun. Lots of walking, they're huge. The one near me in Arlington closed after many years and now has become a Best Bets (very nice Poker room and limited gambling on sports events). It's a very good neighbor, always busy and packed.

[pierre]

Always good to see empty big box stores being re-used.

[I-10east]

Garden Ridge is admidst a transition. The Garden Ridge stores will become the aptly named 'At Home'. I'm not digging the name to tell you the truth. Another name downgrade IMO ala 'Aio Wireless to Cricket Wireless'. Don't get me wrong, regardless of a name, OP will not have an enormous void next to Home Depot.

www.dallasnews.com/business/retail/20140616-garden-ridge-is-evolving-into-at-home.ece

[I-10east]

In other OP news, George's Music (next to Best Buy) has some competition. On the other side of Blanding Blvd Guitar Center is gonna on June 19. The address is 6000 Lake Gray Blvd.

http://stores.guitarcenter.com/orange-park

[modjax]

The major problem with that entire shopping strip is just like any other location in clay county, there is horrible planning.  It is a complete nightmare to get in and out of any shopping center because for one they do not connect, and two there is no grid of an actual town to get around easily.  I myself live in Ortega / Riverside Area and prefer the Roosevelt Store due to close proximity and preferred layout, which is much more easily accessible, in and out of the parking lot in either direction, and located on a major highway and the closest Target to Downtown Jacksonville.  More renovation and revitalization is happening in downtown and Riverside as far as hip urban boutiques, shops, bars, restaurants, nightlife and major apartment and condo projects, none of these are offered in Orange Park, or probably ever will be. As for the Orange Park Area.The Blanding / Wells Road area in general is someplace I avoid at all costs because of horrible traffic anytime of the day.  For those in Clay County, you should be happy with the Oakleaf and Fleming Island Locations, I always thought it was odd to have 2 Super Targets so close in proximity, ie the Ortega Store and Wells Road Store.