Disney shops coming to Target stores as it closes over 50 locations across the US

Target announced on Monday, Aug. 23, that it will be putting in more Disney shops inside its store outlets as the holiday season is coming. It was said that the retail company is planning to triple the number of outlets of the brand in its stores.

According to CNBC, Target started opening Disney shops in some of its locations in 2019. It has around 1,900 stores across the United States, and select branches already have the Walt Disney company’s shops.

Target will be expanding its Disney collaboration by adding more than 100 of its outlets for Disney-themed merchandise, toys, costumes, and more. It was mentioned that at least 160 Target stores will have new Disney stores installed by the end of the year since the company is also preparing for the holidays and expecting a surge in demand.

With the Minneapolis, Minnesota-headquartered retail company's recent team-up with other retailers, observers stated it is somehow turning its stores into mini-malls. This is because shoppers can now buy a variety of products and from different brands, too, inside Target stores.

For instance, they can have their favorite beverage from Starbucks, buy medicine or schedule vaccination for COVID-19, purchase Apple devices or get their new pair of Levi’s jeans after buying their food or home supplies from Target. Or shoppers can simply drop by the brand stores even if they are not shopping for groceries.

As mentioned earlier, Target is adding the Disney stores ahead of the holidays as it is expecting parents to buy toys and character merchandise for their children to celebrate during the season. Shoppers will now find popular Disney items such as Star Wars toys and merchandise in more Target locations.

Meanwhile, while Target is installing more Disney stores, Walt Disney is closing out many of its locations this year. USA Today reported that the company made an announcement in March that it will be eliminating 60 stores in North America, and this September, the first round of closures will begin.

While Disney did not officially release the list of stores it will shut down, USA Today made a list based on a store locator tool. It identified which ones are closing on or before Sept. 15, and locations include Arizona, California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and Washington.