Future of Target stores in doubt

TOWNSVILLE’S two Target stores may close their doors after parent company Wesfarmers announced up to 167 stores nationwide could disappear over the next 12 months.

Up to 75 Target stores will be shut and 92 others converted into Kmart outlets after a review into the struggling retailer’s operations.

Around half of Target’s 284-odd Australian stores could be affected, with the closure of between 10 to 25 large-format Target stores, the conversion of “suitable” Target and Target Country stores to Kmart stores, and the closure of the remaining 50 small-format Target Country stores.

The changes will also clude a restructuring of Target store support office.

Townsville Target stores are located at Willows Shopping Centre and Castletown Shopping Centre, and Ingham and Ayr each have a Target store.

Which stores will be closed has not been revealed.

Wesfarmers CEO Rob Scott said the company was continuing to assess how Target and its remaining store network could become commercially viable.

“For some time now, the retail sector has seen significant structural change and disruption, and we expect this trend to continue,” he said.

Some Target employees would be offered redeployment opportunities.

A Wesfarmers spokesperson said that the conversion of stores to Kmarts would give regional customers increased access to a selected range of Kmart’s home, apparel and general merchandise products.

The group would also expand its click and collect offering with the full range of Kmart, Target and Catch products available at all stores. inthe