Big box boom?
New Target store in south Fargo?
New Wal-Mart store in south Fargo?
New Wal-Mart in Dilworth? (albeit, replacing an existing store)
With headlines like these about Wal-Mart and Target, two of the nation's largest retailers, potentially opening additional stores in the Fargo-Moorhead metropolitan area, it makes me wonder how long it will be before we hear about a second Wal-Mart or maybe even another Target in Greater Grand Forks. Bismarck-Mandan (very similar in size to Greater Grand Forks) is also in the process of getting a second Wal-Mart store. If Fargo-Moorhead is going to have three Wal-Marts and Bismarck-Mandan is going to have two Wal-Marts, it seems quite plausible that the company might think of opening another store in Grand Forks-East Grand Forks. I'm not saying that another Wal-Mart would be a good thing or a bad thing, but it is a possibility that seems more and more like an eventual likelihood.
I'm trying to think of locations where they could build one...East Grand Forks? Maybe somewhere in the Gateway Drive corridor? Any part of town that they put a new Wal-Mart in is bound to see other retailers move in making the area another commercial center like 32nd Avenue.
I can't see us getting another Target anytime soon seeing as how our current Target store is a SuperTarget.
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Another Wal-Mart or Target in Grand Forks would be complete overkill. I just don't think Grand Forks is large enough in square miles to warrant the placement of another supposedly convenient store. Fargo on the other hand is like an expanding ballon and they could place a new store that would allow a certain segment of town to not have to travel as far to get to one of their stores.
UND Student: The staying up late and posting and posting comments is totally contagious if not a terminal illness once you get bit by the bug. It amazes me how swiftly the comments flow from my keyboard at 1 or 2 in the morning. So get yourself a cup of java (or other prefered beverage) and crank up iTunes (or other prefered music playing software) and get readin' and a postin'. Or get your own blog and do what you want, when you want. I guess I should go to bed now.
Well, I don't know about the Bismarck location being the "busiest in the world"...sounds pretty odd to me. However, if you look at Wal-Mart nation wide, you will see that many cities with the 50-70 thousand population (like GF and Bismarck) actually have two Wal-Mart locations already, making the claim that they are among the busier locations probably true. I believe Grand Forks could support another Wal-Mart or "regular" Target on the north end, especially in the University Village development. Lots of students and other north end residents to attract there. It would just be a business decision for the companies, as the business at the south end locations would decrease somewhat.
By the way, JGS, what Wal-Mart are you going to? Most of the time, I can hardly fit through the aisle at our Wal-Mart, and have to park closer to Red Lobster or Taco Bell than the front door when I go.
Keep in mind Walmart GF is already making a significant investment in their property.
Regarding the Bismarck comparison, Bismarck/Mandan draws from a significant geographic area in southcentral and SW ND. Bis/Man is more geographically dispersed. Outside of about 45 mins of clogging around 5pm on Columbia Road, you can get from the north to south ends of GF pretty quickly using a variety of intelligently laid out arterials (42nd st, colubia, 20th st, washington, or even N 5th ST/belmont/32nd). The only isolated area is SE EGF.
As easy as it is to traverse N/S Walmart realized that expanding the breadth of their current store was the best strategy. Super One will probably be the loser in that deal.
JGS: Yeah I don't know what WalMart your going to either. The one in GF is always busy. I know people who make sure not to go there because its so busy. There will be another Walmart in GF. When is yet to be determined. Walmarts strategy was and will continue to be opening stores in small communities in America often left out by other retailers. They open them in population centers of 20,000 and are successful. So GF metro with over 60,000 will support 2. But could be at the cost of other businesses (in which you can only blame yourself and other americans because you shop there).
I disagree with our Wal-Mart not being busy. It is really very busy. I have "inside information" (ok...I know people who work there!) that sales having been growing fantastically over the last few years. Ten years ago, Wal-Mart got maybe one truck of merchandise a night. Now, they never get less than two and quite often get three trucks a night. The Supercenter will only make a very busy location get even busier. Actually, even now, I sometimes can't stand shopping there because you just can't seem to move down some aisles at times!
The Bismarck Wal-Mart isn't one of the busiest in the world, but it was the busiest in the district (which includes all ND stores and the Dilworth, MN store) for several years. I imagine that sales will be much more spread out now between the two stores in Bismarck. The Fargo store is currently the busiest store in the district because it is the only Supercenter currently open. They have been experiencing upwards of 60+% higher daily sales compared to last year when the store wasn't a Supercenter.
If Bismarck is going to have two Wal-Marts and many other similar sized metro areas in the U.S. have two Wal-Marts, I think it is just a matter of time until we have two. I would be suprised if the company wasn't already thinking of different areas where a new store could go. Gateway Drive seems like a logical area for a Wal-Mart. That area could appeal to GFAFB shoppers. On the other hand, I don't think we'll be getting another Target anytime soon since our current Target is so Super. If we ever did get one, University Village would be a nice area, but that area will probably be full before long.
By the way, as far as I know, the new Fargo Target would probably be a regular Target store. While Wal-Mart is building pretty much only Supercenters, Target still continues to build more regular stores than SuperTargets.
We are a bunch of night owls, aren't we? :)
JGS - I didn't watch the newscast. Is that what they said about the new Fargo Target store...that it would be a SuperTarget? Interesting...
I just watched the clip of the WDAY newscast, JGS. Funny that the Forum article never mentioned that it would be a SuperTarget. I gotta say that I hate to see Fargo get a SuperTarget instead of just another regular Target. SuperTarget is one of the few big box stores we have that Fargo doesn't have.
"Im not to sure how fast the Bismarck-Mandan area is growing. Grand Forks was the second largest city in the state up until the 97' flood which placed us at #3 now. But it seems Grand Forks is slowly creeping up on the population of Bismarck. "
- Would be nice if I guess if GF was growing that fast but actually Bismarck-Mandan is growing alot faster than GF (or anywhere else in the state) right now. Drive north of Bismarck (or south or east for that matter (if you drive west you'll end up in the river) and that will end any perception that GF is catching up to Bismarck.
I was in Bismarck earlier this month. While I will admit that they have gotten plenty of new retail over the last year or so, I would point out that many of these new stores have already been in Fargo and Grand Forks for sometime (years in cases). Other than the retail building boom, I didn't get the feeling that Bismarck was experiencing any kind of explosive population growth.
Check with United States Bureau Census if you don't believe me. Admitedly, Bismarck isn't Phoenix but its currently the Phoenix of North Dakodia.
ooops sorry, Bureau of the Cenus. LOL ok bye.
duh! Bureau of the Census
i heard wal-fart is going to buy out the pamida on the east side and build one there.........Just heard that at a city council meeting.
Wal-Mart is an evil empire, and it would obliterate most of the surviving busineses in EGF...a Supercenter could potentially wipe out Hugo's. All hail the almighty bargain.
I am melancholy.
http://walmartwatch.com/
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