Company Man asks 'Target - The Rise and Fall?' A tale of the Retail Apocalypse for Black Friday/Buy Nothing Day

Happy Black Friday/Buy Nothing Day, when I usually tell a tale of the Retail Apocalypse. I'm continuing my tradition by sharing Company Man asking Target - The Rise and Fall?

One of the country's biggest retailers has been having issues. This video explores the recent struggles behind Target.

I couldn't resist this bar chart showing the top ten chains/companies by 2024 retail sales.


I've blogged about Walmart, Amazon, Kroger, CVS, Walgreens, and now Target. I've mentioned Costco, Home Depot, and Lowe's, but not Albertsons, until now. That's a company that does not operate under that name, or the other names I'm familiar with — Vons, Pavilions, and Jewel/Osco — in Michigan, so I haven't had an opportunity. On the other hand, Costco, Home Depot, and Lowe's are now on my to-do list, especially Costco.

There is also an AI summary.

Target's recent struggles are explored, examining the retailer's history from its 1960s origins to its current challenges. The video analyzes several contributing factors, including leadership changes and economic shifts impacting discretionary spending. A look at DEI initiatives and customer experience reveals further complexities in Target's current situation.

That's a good summary that reflects Company Man Mike's list closely.


Company Man has listed leadership as an issue three times before — four times if one includes the criminals running Crazy Eddie's — so I'm not surprised, but this example looks like the investors not having confidence more than Michael Fiddelke being an inherently bad choice. "Discretionary items" ties into tariffs and inflation, which have been an issue for other chains like At Home, Kohl's, Joann, and Claire's. None of the above are unique.

On the other hand, this is the first time I've seen Company Man Mike list DEI initiatives, or rather their abandonment, as contributing to a company's problems. I'm not surprised, as my wife and I shifted our shopping from Target to Costco because the former abandoned DEI. We did the same for Amazon: "My wife and I have decided to cut back on our Amazon purchases and will re-evaluate our Amazon Prime membership when it expires this summer. Jeff Bezos rolling over for Hoover Cleveland pissed us off."* Our disappointment extended to Whole Foods, which is owned by Amazon. Target should have realized that knuckling under to Donald "Hoover Cleveland" Trump would have had a major effect because of their customer base, the people like me who call the company "Tar-zhey" and declare "between Walmart and KMart, I shop at Target." Now I'm shopping at none of them.

Seeing customer satisfaction as reason number four reminds me of this graph that I embedded last year.

Costco treats its employees well while offering a great shopping experience, so I'm not surprised it's in first. My wife and I would shop there more often if it had a closer location and we ever needed to buy in bulk.

Or if we had a reason to boycott Target and Whole Foods, which happened this year.

That's enough about Target today. Stay tuned for Small Business Saturday.

*This is the mirror image of "Losing Identity, Alienating Core Customers, [and] Negative Publicity" in Company Man wonders 'Cracker Barrel - The Rise and Fall?' A tale of the Retail Apocalypse and consumer pressure, all of which upset conservatives.

St. Patrick's Day food, drink, and dance from WXYZ

Happy St. Patrick's Day!  This year, I'm taking a break from Tipsy Bartender to share food and drink ideas from WXYZ.  I just needed a change of pace and ideas from local sources fit the bill for a Detroit-based sustainability and entertainment blog.  Fortunately, WXYZ had four food and drink clips just from this week.

I begin with St. Patrick's Day Drinks.


Whiskey drinks, of course, including Irish Coffee.*

Follow over the jump for the food and dance.

Driving update for December 2015: Pearl

Prius the Pearl's odometer currently reads 23,994 miles as the car sits in my driveway.  I'll drive more than that on my way into work, so it's time for a driving update for my car to go along with the one earlier this month for Dez.

Pearl rolled over 23,000 miles on Tuesday, October 20th, 57 days ago, so I've driven her an average of 17.54 miles/day and 535.09 miles/standard month during that time.  That's only slightly more than the 17.24 miles/day and 525.86 miles/standard month I drove her between August and October.  I attribute turning over the odometer a day earlier to a shopping trip to the Detroit Whole Foods.  That excursion was so much fun and the selection so good, my wife and I did it again in her car earlier this week, but that's a story for another day.  Otherwise, my driving was pretty much the same as the last reporting period.

Of course, the important stat is not how much I drive by myself, but how much my wife and I drive together.  Adding my miles to my wife's average of 16.67 miles/day and 508.33 miles/standard month for Dez yields a combined average of 34.21 miles/day and 1043.42 miles/month, well over August's 26.95 miles/day and 822.0 miles/month, which I'm using as the baseline for our driving in our more car-dependent neighborhood.  Good thing I'm bucking the trend of Americans buying less fuel-efficient cars even as my wife and I are following along with everyone else and driving more.

WXYZ updates the Whole Foods opening

The video I included in Whole Foods opens in Midtown Detroit was a preview.  Here's the video showing the actual opening.


Looks like it was a great time for all involved.

WXYZ didn't cover what Mayor Bing had to say, but WWJ did.

“I’ll tell you my heart is pumping. I feel like it’s the seventh game in the playoffs,” said Bing. “To see all these people out here; with the love, the with excitement, with the pride — it does so much for the city.”

“I’d have to say, without a doubt, it’s probably the best day … because the community is involved,” the mayor said.

In addition to all the dignitaries named in previous installments, the Whole Foods Market Detroit Facebook page posted photos of former Detroit Piston John Salley.  It turns out that Salley is one of the owners of Vegan Vine Wines, which is being sold at the Detroit Whole Foods, and he was giving out samples.  Here's Salley promoting himself and his brand of wine on YouTube.

John Salley Vegan Vine Video

The Vegan Vine Wines is pleased to announce a new partnership with former NBA champion, talk-show host and heath/wellness activist John Salley. Mr. Salley has taken an ownership position in the brand with the goal to educate the vegan and wine drinking community about animal products that are often used in the production of wines.

Whole Foods opens in Midtown Detroit

In Honey Bees and Whole Foods, I concluded with a programming note.

I'll have more on Whole Foods' first day of business in the Motor City tomorrow.  Stay tuned.

It's tomorrow and WXYZ has just posted their video from their morning newscast a few minutes ago.

Whole Foods Market opens grocery store in Detroit's midtown

After much planning, building and excitement, today is the big day: Whole Foods Market has opened their new grocery store in Detroit's midtown.

WXYZ has more at their website.

Doors opened at 9:00 a.m. and customers were already waiting outside the store. It’s located on Mack Avenue, just east of Woodward Avenue.
...
In addition to visits from politicians like U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow and Detroit Mayor Dave Bing, Whole Foods shoppers can expect to hear bagpipers and a marching band as they shop during today’s grand opening celebration.

There are photos of the DEPSA High School Marching Band performing for the opening and Detroit City Council President Charles Pugh, along with those of the first shoppers, at the Whole Foods Market Detroit Facebook page.  Expect updates of the Grand Opening all day.

Also, more than 17,000 people already like that page.  Of course, I'm one of them, along with six of my Facebook friends.  Here's to both of those numbers increasing.

Honey Bees and Whole Foods

Tomorrow morning is the grand opening of Whole Foods in Detroit, but before I quote the Free Press on the long-awaited event, I want to share this video from WXYZ on Honey Bee Market, a Detroit Gem.


This would be my pick for the best neighborhood grocery store in Detroit.  It is also, as you can see, where lots of locals get in touch with their roots.

Follow over the jump for a selection of the Free Press's preview of tomorrow morning's grand opening.

Whole Foods opening in Detroit next month

WXYZ gives its viewers a sneak peek.


I first wrote about this two years ago in Whole Foods to be an oasis in Detroit's Food Desert.  Here's what I thought of it then.

If you had asked me last week which major supermarket chain would have been the first to come into Detroit, the last chain I would have expected would have been Whole Foods. Instead, I was expecting it to be Meijer, which is slated to open a store in the old State Fairgrounds area on Woodward and 8 Mile. Looks like I was wrong.

Honestly, this entire thing doesn't look like an effort to bring produce to the people in the neighborhoods, which is desperately needed, and something a chain like Meijer or Kroger could do. Instead, it looks like a plan to spur on the revitalization of one of Detroit's existing bright spots and make it more attractive to investors and people moving in from outside the area.  That's not a bad idea at all, and it might make for a good start, but it would only be a good start.

It's also a good PR move.  Right now, this article is the most read on the site... It also has 719 likes on Facebook.  One of them is mine.

I still think it's a good start, as it is part of the gentrification of Midtown, which is also a good start, but not the only thing that needs to happen to revitalize Detroit.

Here's to Whole Foods living up to its promise of bringing hope and comfort to the residents of Detroit.

Whole Foods to be an oasis in Detroit's Food Desert

Crain's Detroit Business: Whole Foods Market browses in Midtown

Employers, the city and private foundations zeroing in on Detroit's Midtown neighborhood to lure new residents to the city may have a secret weapon in their arsenal: Austin, Texas-based Whole Foods Market Inc.

Crain's has learned that the grocery chain, known for its organic produce and above-average prices, is shopping for space in Midtown.

Sue Mosey, president of newly created Midtown Detroit Inc., a nonprofit encompassing the former University Cultural Center Association and New Center Council Inc., confirmed last week: "There has been some expressed interest by Whole Foods in looking at the possibility of a store in Midtown."

On Wednesday, Mayor Dave Bing went one better. At a private lunch meeting of young professionals and corporate supporters of talent attraction efforts in Detroit, Bing said the deal with Whole Foods was getting close.

"It's not a question of "if' but "when,' " he told an attendee in a side conversation.

If you had asked me last week which major supermarket chain would have been the first to come into Detroit, the last chain I would have expected would have been Whole Foods. Instead, I was expecting it to be Meijer, which is slated to open a store in the old State Fairgrounds area on Woodward and 8 Mile. Looks like I was wrong.

Honestly, this entire thing doesn't look like an effort to bring produce to the people in the neighborhoods, which is desperately needed, and something a chain like Meijer or Kroger could do. Instead, it looks like a plan to spur on the revitalization of one of Detroit's existing bright spots and make it more attractive to investors and people moving in from outside the area.  That's not a bad idea at all, and it might make for a good start, but it would only be a good start.

It's also a good PR move.  Right now, this article is the most read on the site.  It's even beating news about Charlie Sheen's bombing in Detroit on Saturday.  It also has 719 likes on Facebook.  One of them is mine.