Galleria sets Target in sights

DOWNTOWN ? More than a year after Glendale Galleria officials opposed a plan to bring a Target store to the planned Americana at Brand, city officials say the retailer could be making a home in the Galleria.

Federated Department Stores Inc., which owns the Galleria anchor spot that Robinsons-May recently vacated, is in negotiations with Target to possibly bring in the nationwide chain as a replacement for the department store, city officials said.

Federated has been selling Robinsons-May stores as a result of a 2005 merger with May Department Stores, which owns Macy’s.

But the plans for a Target come as somewhat of a surprise to City Council members and others, who say it would be ironic for the mall to house a Target, since it vehemently opposed plans for one at the Americana project.

Glendale Galleria officials created an upheaval in the community over the proposed Target, and spent a lot of time collecting signatures for a referendum, Councilman Rafi Manoukian said.

“Now they go and do exactly what they were opposing,” he said.

“I don’t know what to say at this point. It’s just unfortunate for all those people that were riled up and came up in front of the council and felt passionately about the issue. If I was them I would be feeling an inch tall.”

Rick Caruso, developer of the $264.2-million retail and residential outdoor mall project slated to open in downtown Glendale in 2008, backed out of a deal with Target after public pressure to aim for high-end retailers.

“We were fought when we said Target might go in to the Americana, because they said it would be bad for the community,” Caruso said.

“So we stopped our conversations with Target because of that. It is the height of irony that they are now negotiating with them.”

Target officials did not return calls for comment, and officials with Federated Department Stores refused to comment.

Federated has contacted General Growth to inform them that the Robinsons-May would be closing.

“However, Federated, as owner of that site, will determine who the next retailer is,” General Growth spokesman Arthur Sohikian said.

If a Target did come to the Glendale Galleria, it would be good for the city, Councilman Ara Najarian said.

“Personally, I was never against a Target,” he said. “The store carries a wide variety of products we all use. It’s our old-fashioned department store all grown up.”

As long as the store is operated and maintained at high standards in terms of cleanliness, appearance, among other standards, the store could cater to a wide range of customers, Najarian said.

While it would be “ironic and laughable” for a Target to show up in the Galleria, Mayor Dave Weaver said it would create a lot of foot traffic.

“Why go to Eagle Rock when you could spend your dollars in Glendale,” he said.

The idea of the chain at the Galleria riled mixed reviews from shoppers.

“I think people are just not used to having discount stores in malls in America,” said Marcia Zellers, of Los Angeles, who frequents the Galleria. “Anyway, Target is sort of the high-end of discount stores.”

But for Glendale resident Sandi Martirosyan, a Target in the mall will “cheapen” the look of the Galleria.

“What about all those shopping carts?” she asked.

“Are those going to be all around the mall? Are people going to be leaving them all over the place? It’s going to look more like a supermarket in here.”