Target eyes new store opening in Raleigh-Durham area

Target’s next Triangle move could translate into a very familiar kind of retail upheaval: more hiring, more training and more pressure on teams to cover a bigger mix of services. The company is considering a new store in the Raleigh-Durham area, even as it pushes ahead with a broader growth plan that calls for more than 30 new stores in 2026 and more than 300 by 2035.

For workers, the most important signal is not just the possibility of another red bullseye on the map, but the kind of operation Target keeps building around it. The retailer said its 2026 capital investment plan totals $5 billion, with money going into store changes, payroll increases, training and technology upgrades. That matters on the floor because Target’s newer stores are carrying more services than the old big-box model ever did.

The company’s newest Triangle store, its 2,000th overall, opened in Fuquay-Varina in March. The 148,000-square-foot location came with a food and beverage department 30% larger than the chain average, 24 Drive Up pickup lanes, Order Pickup, same-day delivery and next-day delivery in the Raleigh market, plus CVS Pharmacy, Starbucks Cafe and Disney Shop at Target. Target said the store was built around the idea that guests want a location closer to home, which usually means more local traffic to absorb and more roles tied to fulfillment, food and front-end service.

That is the backdrop for any possible Raleigh-Durham opening. Target spokesperson Enoma Owens said the company is “continuously exploring possible locations for future stores” but had “no new stores news to share” yet, adding that more details would come closer to opening. For current team members, that means the real clues will show up before any formal announcement: leasing activity, hiring pages, transfer postings and the usual ramp-up in training as Target decides what mix of roles the new store needs.

Two other Triangle developments show how serious Target is about the region. In Durham, the company is slated to anchor Ellerbe Square at the former Northgate Mall site, where plans call for demolishing most of the old mall and replacing it with six commercial buildings and more than 140,000 square feet of retail. Durham Mayor Leonardo Williams has backed the project as new life and jobs for north Durham, while council member Nate Baker has criticized its heavy surface-parking design.

In Clayton, Target bought 11 acres for $3.3 million as part of Casto’s West Edge development, another sign the retailer is still hunting for room to grow. It may not all turn into stores, but for Triangle workers the message is clear: Target is still building, and the next round of openings could reshape where the jobs land and how those stores run.