Tupelo’s Target is Mississippi’s largest store for the retail giant
TUPELO, MISS. (WCBI) – Moments after the ribbon cutting for Target Store 2962, Juanita Floyd was making her way through the aisles, as the first shopper for the Tupelo Target.
“I will always remember this day, for whatever reason I was chosen, I am thankful and grateful, got my favorite candy, Fresca and dog food for my dog,” Floyd said.
Floyd was selected as the first guest for her years of community involvement. She was gifted with a 500 dollar shopping spree.
“I also bought five, twenty dollar gift cards and will randomly give them to people just as I was blessed today,” Floyd said.
Other shoppers soon crowded the aisles at what is Mississippi’s largest Target. The 148 thousand square foot store will employ nearly 200 and has a Starbucks and CVS. Leah Beauchamp is store director for the Tupelo Target and says her team has been working hard ahead of the opening.
“We got turnover at the store on August 20th, so about six weeks, and we have built it from the ground up, we put all the shelves in, pegs in, trailers, filled it up, twenty five general merchandise trailers, and about ten food trailers,” Beauchamp said.
First day customers were excited about opening day, and also not having to drive hours to shop at Target.
“I got a lot of stuff, this body wash, fraser fir, my favorite scent, I could have gone crazy, but I slowed down,” said Kerri McMillin.
“You had to see it to believe, it is amazing, it so nice, like a Disney store, everyone is in such a good mood, and the carts, those are important to Moms,” said Candace Brown.
“It is something that the community has asked for for a long time, it , Target seems like that premium type store, and it has been something everyone has been asking for forever,” said Jason Hayden.
While the Tupelo Target is opened, the road connecting North Gloster to Barnes Crossing Road , in back of Target, won’t be open for traffic until Friday.
There is still some last minute work to do, that’s why these big orange and white barricades are in place.
The new Target is expected to draw more commercial development to the area.
