Target opens second Wilmington-area store, bringing about 140 jobs

Target’s new Monkey Junction store is already changing the hiring map in Wilmington, with about 140 jobs tied to the 128,000-square-foot location at 5623 Carolina Beach Road in the Village at Myrtle Grove. The store, at the southeast corner of Carolina Beach Road and Piner Road, opened May 17 and gives the company a second Wilmington-area foothold, along with a fresh round of openings for team members who want to transfer, move up, or step into a nearby role.

The store’s setup tells workers a lot about what Target expects to matter on day one. It includes a CVS Pharmacy and a Starbucks, along with same-day services such as drive up, order pickup, and same-day delivery. Target also built out an expanded fresh food selection and a beach assortment, a sign that the company is tailoring the floor to the coastal market rather than dropping in a generic prototype. For teams on the ground, that means the heaviest pressure will likely fall on pharmacy, food and beverage, front-of-store service, fulfillment, and seasonal merchandising tied to beach traffic.

Target held a preview event May 12 before the grand opening, drawing hundreds of residents, employees, and elected officials. The company said the soft-opening period was intended to help the 140 staff members get their bearings, which matters in retail because a smooth first week can shape everything from scheduling stability to how quickly leaders identify strong performers. A new store also tends to ripple through the nearby market: if staffing settles in cleanly, it can create advancement paths and recruiting momentum at neighboring locations; if it runs short-handed, pressure shows up fast in hours, fulfillment, and guest service.

The Wilmington opening also fits Target’s broader expansion plan. In March, the company said it planned to open more than 30 new stores in 2026 and invest in more than 130 full-store remodels. Target says its typical stores average about 125,000 square feet, and the larger-format push is meant to support same-day services more effectively. The company has also said this year’s openings are part of a longer path to 300 new stores over 10 years, with six new stores opening in May across Arizona, Missouri, New Jersey, and North Carolina. One of the North Carolina openings is Target’s 2,000th store, in Fuquay-Varina, with another set for Selma the same month.