Last year at this time, I told you that Target was looking in and around Milwaukee's Downtown for a smaller concept store. This continues to be true, as several sources have confirmed that areas in and around The Shops of Grand Avenue are "still in play."
Today, Target Corporation announced that is coming to Chicago's Magnificent Mile, but only for three days. Here's the deal. The retailer will open a pop-up store next week at 455 N. Michigan Ave. at the site of a former Hammacher Schlemmer shop and most recently the Freedom Museum.
The Target store, that the company is calling Bullseye Bazaar, will create buzz, generate sales from Downtown residents and workers and, of course, be a nice, if short-term, lease for a vacant space.
This got me thinking that this simple concept could work wonders for both landlords and store tenants in Milwaukee's Downtown. A one-week Downtown Best Buy, bike store or even an auto dealer? Why not?
We have too many vacant storefronts that need tenants. A concept like a Target pop-up could be a win-win.
Owners of Milwaukee vacant spaces, it just might be time to think big while leasing small. There's opportunity here for everyone.
A life-long and passionate community leader and Milwaukeean, Jeff Sherman is a co-founder of OnMilwaukee.
He grew up in Wauwatosa and graduated from Marquette University, as a Warrior. He holds an MBA from Cardinal Stritch University, and is the founding president of Young Professionals of Milwaukee (YPM)/Fuel Milwaukee.
Early in his career, Sherman was one of youngest members of the Greater Milwaukee Committee, and currently is involved in numerous civic and community groups - including board positions at The Wisconsin Center District, Wisconsin Club and Marcus Center for the Performing Arts. He's honored to have been named to The Business Journal's "30 under 30" and Milwaukee Magazine's "35 under 35" lists.
He owns a condo in Downtown and lives in greater Milwaukee with his wife Stephanie, his son, Jake, and daughter Pierce. He's a political, music, sports and news junkie and thinks, for what it's worth, that all new movies should be released in theaters, on demand, online and on DVD simultaneously.
He also thinks you should read OnMilwaukee each and every day.
