TARGET

MINNEAPOLIS — Target is bringing its smaller-format store to the Los Angeles metropolitan area.

The 98,000-sq.-ft. CityTarget, which will be located in Westwood, Calif., will open in July 2012. It is the second store of its kind confirmed in the area, with the first being open in October 2012 in downtown Los Angeles.

Target currently has 58 other stores in Los Angeles.

CHICAGO — Valoramas on Monday announced the launch of an online bilingual membership club for Latinos in the United States at Valoramas.com.

MELVILLE, N.Y. — Hain Celestial Group’s Avalon Organics skin care brand, which is sold at such retailers as Whole Foods, Target, Walmart and drug stores, has transitioned its line of personal care products to the NSF/ANSI 305 Standard for Personal Care Products Containing Organic Ingredients. With this transition, Avalon Organics also has revamped its Vitamin C Renewal, Lavender Luminosity, CoQ10 Repair and Essential Lift skin care lines.

MINNEAPOLIS — Target shoppers have a new incentive for joining the retailer's REDcard Rewards loyalty program: free shipping on Target.com.

What's more, Target debit cards now can be used on Target.com, the company said.

MINNEAPOLIS — Target reported October sales growth that fell short of analysts' expectations, while uncertainty remains following the recent departure of the company's CFO.

Target reported that its net retail sales for the four weeks ended Oct. 29 were $4.8 billion, an increase of 4.3% from $4.6 billion for the four weeks ended Oct. 30, 2010. On this same basis, comparable-store sales increased 3.3% in October and 4.3% in the third quarter.

MINNEAPOLIS — The unexpected announcement that Target EVP and CFO Doug Scovanner will retire on March 31, 2012, has investors speculating about the reasons for his departure following the recent exit of other key executives.

Analysts at Bernstein Research pointed to the fact that no successor has been named, suggesting that the retirement was not a long-planned event. However, the firm said it believed that despite the unexpected news, this appeared to be a true retirement and doesn't anticipate seeing Scovanner in a CFO role at another major company.

MINNEAPOLIS — Target is getting an early jump on Black Friday this year, announcing that it will open its stores at midnight on Nov. 25.

“The holidays bring hectic schedules and tight budgets, so extending store hours and offering lots of additional ways to save makes Target a great choice for affordable, one-stop holiday shopping,” Target EVP stores Tina Schiel said.

MINNEAPOLIS — Target opened on Monday three new retail-based health clinics in the Twin Cities as part of its expansion plan announced earlier this year.

As previously reported by Drug Store News, Target announced earlier this year plans to open eight new clinic locations this year in the Twin Cities (four clinics), Chicago (three clinics) and Fort Lauderdale-Davie, Fla., areas (one clinic) by the end of July. The first of the new clinics opened in the Twin Cities on March 2.