Grocery shopping will soon be steps away from the University of Michigan with the opening of a Target in the former location of Urban Outfitters on State St., Target spokesperson Jill Lewis confirmed in an email to The Michigan Daily.

“We are excited to bring an easy, safe and convenient shopping experience to new guests in the community with this new Target store,” Lewis said.

The “small-format” store on S. State St. will be approximately 12,000 square feet. Target opened a similar small-format store across the street from Michigan State University’s campus in 2019, one of more than 100 across the country aimed at providing cities or college campuses an alternative to suburban supermarkets. 

A grand opening date for the Ann Arbor store is not yet set. 

University students have long bemoaned the lack of a grocery store within walking distance of campus to supplement Walgreens and CVS, which are also on S. State St.

The Plymouth Road Kroger, the only grocery store within distance of the campus bus system, is a 20 to 30 minute trip from Central Campus. The People’s Food Co-Op and Ann Arbor Farmers Market in Kerrytown are options within walking distance of Central Campus, but tend to be more expensive than mainstream grocery stores. Trader Joe’s and Meijer are only accessible by car or the Ann Arbor bus system, The Ride. 

Given their time and transportation limitations, LSA sophomore Saad Shami said students often don’t have much of a choice other than Walgreens and CVS, which can be expensive and have limited options. 

“Both in my opinion are pretty overpriced, at least for just regular college students just buying groceries,” Shami said. 

Shami said he hopes Target will be less expensive and offer greater variety for students. 

“It’s nice to have, hopefully, some kind of budget option for college students,” Shami said.

Students struggling with food insecurity can visit the Maize and Blue Cupboard in the basement of Betsy Barbour Residence Hall on Maynard St. six days a week. The cupboard is on winter break and reopens Jan. 3. More information is available here.

Daily News Editor Calder Lewis can be reached at calderll@umich.edu.

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