The second level of the Price Center has re-opened as a new Target store. Opening on Sunday, Oct. 25, the retail store aims to make the UC San Diego campus more livable by expanding the types of products available for students to purchase on campus, including health and beauty, eye-care, food, apparel, and home decor products. 

The store represents one of five small-format Target stores within the San Diego area. The modified Target on campus provides essential goods more tailored to college student needs. 

The introduction of this store marks a dramatic shift for students as the distance to get to a Target has dramatically shortened. The nearest Targets prior to the campus location were approximately both a 20 minutes drive away in Clairemont or Mira Mesa. 

Thurgood Marshall College sophomore Emily Ramond commended the new store for making more groceries and supplies accessible to students. 

“I believe having Target on-campus is beneficial as a whole to on-and off-campus students,” Ramond said. “The accessibility of the pharmacy, personal hygiene items, different foods, and other necessities makes it less stressful for students to obtain these items. It saves time that I would have to spend planning bus routes to make it to the closest target or grocery store.”

Target is hiring students employees to staff their stores starting at $15.00 an hour, which puts the wage higher than the current minimum wage of $12.00 for the state of California and $13.00 for UCSD student workers. The majority of employees at the new retail store are UCSD students.

Like the rest of the San Diego community, Target is taking precautions against the pandemic by requiring masks, various signs, and audio reminders to maintain socially distancing, and frequently cleaning their store. Store hours may vary but are typically Monday through Saturday 7 a.m.-10 p.m. and Sunday 8 a.m.-10 p.m. 

Photo courtesy of Kimberly Novobilsky for The UCSD Guardian.