About Target

Mission:
As mentioned before my favorite retailer is Target. Their “mission is to make Target the preferred shopping destination for our guests by delivering outstanding value, continuous innovation and an exceptional guest experience by consistently fulfilling our Expect More. Pay Less.® brand promise”.

To support our mission, we are guided by our commitments to great value, the community, diversity and the environment.”

Timeline for Target & About Target:
“George D. Dayton opens Goodfellows in downtown Minneapolis.
1903
Dayton Dry Goods Company is founded. In 1911 it becomes The Dayton Company.
1909
Dayton Dry Goods Company makes its first recorded gift to the Associated Charities of Minneapolis, today known as the United Way. In 1960, The Dayton Company begins the practice of annual team member fundraising drives for the United Way.
1918
The Dayton Foundation is created with a $1 million endowment. In 1969 it is renamed The Dayton Hudson Foundation and in 2000 is renamed the Target Foundation.
1924
George Draper Dayton brings Goodwill Industries to Minneapolis and becomes a founding director.
1946
The Dayton Company’s bylaws establish the practice of giving 5% of pretax profits to the community. It’s the second American company to establish a preset amount of annual giving in its bylaws.
The Dayton Company enters mass market discount merchandising with the opening of its first Target store in Roseville, Minnesota on May 1.
1967
The Dayton Corporation is formed and has its first public offering of common stock.
1968 New Bullseye
The Target bullseye logo is redesigned to its current appearance.
1969
The Dayton Corporation and The J. L. Hudson Company of Detroit, Michigan merge, forming the Dayton Hudson Corporation.
1970
Target observes the very first Earth Day by supporting team member volunteers who plant trees and clean parks.
Target introduces uniform “plan-o-grams” to plan the layout and placement of store interiors and products. The result is a consistent guest experience throughout the chain.
1975

Target becomes parent company Dayton Hudson Corporation’s leading revenue-producer.
1978
The Dayton Hudson Corporation acquires Mervyn’s and becomes the 7th largest U.S. retailer.
1979 1billion
Target stores reach $1 billion in annual sales.
1983
President Reagan awards the Dayton Hudson Foundation the President’s Committee on the Arts & Humanities Medal of Honor.
1985 Circular
The weekly Target stores advertising circular becomes America’s second-most-read newspaper insert after the Sunday comics.
1987 Checkout
Electronic point of sale scanning at checkout is in place at all Target stores.
1989
Target sponsors Will Steger and the Trans-Antarctica Expedition to call attention to environmental issues.
1989 Racing
Target and Chip Ganassi team up to form Target Chip Ganassi Racing.
1990
The Dayton Hudson Corporation acquires Marshall Field's department stores.
1995 Credit Card
Target stores introduce its first store credit card. In 2001 the Target® Visa® is introduced. Today, all are part of the REDcardSM family of products.
1995 Supertarget
The first SuperTarget® store opens in Omaha, Nebraska.1995
1995 Club Wedd
Target launches Club Wedd® bridal registry. A year later, Lullaby Club® baby gift registry is introduced, which is renamed Target BabySM in 2002.
1997
The Target Good Neighbor volunteer program, now called Target Volunteers, receives the President’s Service Award from President Clinton, the highest national honor given for corporate volunteer efforts.
Take Charge of Education® is introduced, which allows guests to donate up to 1% of REDcard purchases to a K-12 school of their choice.
1999
Target House® opens in Memphis, Tennessee, providing long-term housing for families of children receiving life-saving treatment at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.
1999
Target launches Target.com, introduces its first GiftCards and, as part of the innovative Sign of the Times branding campaign, debuts its mascot, Bullseye, the Target dog.
1999 Michael Graves
Target introduces its first designer line of products from world-renowned architect Michael Graves.
2000
The Dayton Hudson Corporation is renamed Target Corporation.
2000 Target.Com
The Target weekly ad makes its debut on Target.com.
Target launches a partnership with America’s Second Harvest —The Nation's Food Bank
Network— to donate our overstock grocery items. In 2005, Target donates more than 3.3 million pounds of food that results in 2.6 million meals to those in need.
2002
Target introduces its first limited-time-only pop-up store, Target Boat, in New York harbor.
2004
Marshall Field’s and Mervyn’s are sold.
2004 Salute To Greatness
Target is honored with the “Salute to Greatness Award” by the King Center in Atlanta, Georgia.
2004
Safe City is introduced, a community-based initiative uniting businesses, residents, city officials and law enforcement to maximize safeness and minimize crimes in communities Target serves.
2005
Target Corporation ranks among the top 20 corporate contributors in the nation, giving $2 million each week to the communities it serves. Target also celebrates reaching the $50 billion mark in annual sales.
2005 Clear Rx
Target introduces its innovative ClearRXSM pharmacy system.
2006
Target Corporation reaches a historic landmark of $1 billion in total giving from 1902-
2006
Continuing its long-standing commitment to protecting the environment, Target introduces a GiftCard made from a biodegradable, corn-based bioplastic product.
2006
GO International® launches, featuring sought-after fashion designers from around
the globe. Beginning with Luella Bartley, each designer’s exclusive line for Target is featured for a limited time only.
2006 Target Carts
Exclusive, new Target shopping carts and baskets debut in stores around the country.
2007 Archer
Archer Farms® products, originally introduced at SuperTarget in 1995, become available for purchase for the first time outside Target stores and Target.com, on Virgin America Airlines Flights.
2007
The Target Check CardSM is introduced.2008 Converse
Converse® One Star®, a new and innovative collection of vintage-inspired clothing and footwear, debuts at Target.
2008
In May, Target sells an undivided interest in approximately 47 percent of credit card receivables to JPMorgan Chase.
2008 Indy 500
Team Target Indy Car driver Scott Dixon wins the Indianapolis 500.”

Stores:
“The first Target store opened in Roseville, Minnesota, in 1962. Its trendy merchandise at affordable prices launched a new era in discount retailing. This “T-1” store was easy to shop, attractive and always clean. It served as the prototype for every Target store opened since then, and it changed how consumers think about discount shopping.
Today, Target operates more than 1,600 stores in 47 states, including more than 200 SuperTarget® stores that include an upscale grocery shopping experience. In addition to the photo processing centers, pharmacies and Food Avenue® restaurants found in almost every Target, SuperTarget stores include in-store bakery, deli, meat and produce sections.”

http://sites.target.com/site/en/company/page.jsp?contentId=WCMP04-031761