Denver was home to some of the earliest Target stores in the 1960s
The Denver metro area was home to some of the first Target stores, being the first place the company expanded to in the 1960s.
DENVER (KDVR) — Target is one of the most popular retailers in the U.S., with over 1,900 stores in all 50 states. As of 2024, there are over 40 Target locations in Colorado, with over 20 in the Denver metro area alone.
However, Target wasn't always as big as it is now.
The first Target store opened in Minnesota in the early 1960s, and by 1966, the company was looking to expand to a different region entirely.
The company settled on opening two stores in the Denver metro area. The reason behind picking the Mile High City was simple: it was similar enough to Minneapolis, where the chain first began.
"Denver ... like Minneapolis ... has four distinct seasons to ensure a continuously changing apparel market," a company leader said at the time, according to Target.
The first of the stores was in the Denver suburb of Glendale at the corner of Colorado Boulevard and East Virginia Avenue, while the second was located in Lakewood. Both opened in October of 1966.
There is still a Target location in Glendale, located in the exact same spot. However, the original building was torn down and replaced with a larger store in the early 2000s.
The second Colorado location in Lakewood has also since been demolished, being replaced by apartment complexes in the 2000s.
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