Target poised for closure

MILDURA’S Target retail store will close next year after more than four decades of operation.

The Kmart Mildura store will relocate into the Target space once it closes, which is understood to be mid-2025.

Both retail operations are owned by Wesfarmers Limited which operates supermarkets, department stores, home improvement and office supplies, resources, chemicals, energy and fertilisers and industrials and safety products.

A spokesperson for Kmart and Target confirmed the closure this week.

The spokesperson said Kmart Mildura will relocate from its Pine Avenue location “to a new, bigger store” once Target ceased to operate with “additional roles available in the new Kmart store once it relocates”.

“Supporting our team is always our number one priority,” the spokesperson said.

“We are committed to supporting our Target Mildura team members with redeployment in the new Kmart store or other suitable opportunities where possible.”

However, Sunraysia Daily has been told that Kmart employees have been told “no jobs are being promised with a transfer”.

“We thank the community for their support for Target over many years and look forward to continuing to serve the Mildura community until the Target store closes and from our Kmart store,” the spokesperson said.

“To ensure the Mildura community still have access to the Target products they know and love, customers will be able to shop Target online and pick up Target Click and Collect orders from the new Kmart store once it opens next year.”

Target operates 124 stores across Australia including 30 in Victoria.

The announced closure of the Mildura store comes as Target stores nationally saw a 4.5 per cent drop in sales in the last financial year, compared to a 6.3 per cent sales growth at Kmart.

Decline in sales at Target included a period of disruption, where the store’s general merchandise range was changed over to Anko, a product line at Kmart.

Other Kmart Group systems and processes were introduced into the Target stores nationally, and a Wesfarmers annual report revealed the sale of Anko products performed “well”, in line with expectations.

Overall, Target stores collectively delivered positive earnings over the last financial year.

Target opened in Mildura to much fanfare in September 1982, as two separate companies — Target Supermarkets and Target Australia Pty Ltd which operated the discount store — with as many as 25,000 at the opening.

The Mildura Target retail arm was at the time the largest Target store in Victoria with a selling area covering almost 8400 square metres as well as a storage and processing area of another 3300 square metres.

At its peak the store had 23 checkout points, manned by staff who had been in training for three months.

The store originally had a staffing of 185 with 95 permanent staff.

Australian writer, reporter, entertainer and former Sunraysia Daily journalist John-Michael Howson was a special guest at the opening.

A closure date for the Mildura Target store will be decided in coming months.