How Do You Define Tiny

Dallas is on target for trendy new tiny Target store in Preston Center

. Tiny is a relative word.

Photo courtesy of Target

UPDATE: The store in Preston Center officially opened its doors on October 17, 2018.

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The tiny Target store phenomenon is hitting Dallas-Fort Worth. The retailer will open its first small-format store in Preston Center, at the intersection of Westchester Drive and Berkshire Lane.

The store will take up a third-floor space above existing tenants that include Marshalls and Preston Center Pediatric Dentristy, and will open in summer 2018.

Small-format stores are a new concept from Target, which is opening them near college campuses, dense suburban neighborhoods, and urban areas. Their product assortment is tailored to local needs.

Target currently operates more than 30 of these tiny Targets. The first in Texas opened in Austin in November. There are plans for 130 stores open by the end of 2019, serving communities and neighborhoods where a regular-sized Target store may not fit.

One doesn't wish to begrudge the shoppers of Preston Center their Target needs, but one can think of so many neighborhoods currently lacking as many shopping options as Preston Center, where a tiny Target — or really, a Target of any size — would be welcome.

The small-format store is part of a larger initiative that also includes remodeling existing stores, says Target VP Mark Schindele in a release.

"Earlier this year we announced a $220 million investment to remodel 28 stores in North Texas, and we’re thrilled to add on to that commitment by opening DFW’s first small-format store," Schindele says. "We are bringing a uniquely-Target shopping experience to the Preston Hollow and Park Cities communities with our new Preston Center small-format store, offering the ease and inspiration of a curated assortment alongside a pickup point for online orders."

The store will be approximately 54,700 square feet, which is actually about the size of a regular supermarket. So, not really that tiny. Offerings include:

A grocery section with a focus on wellness offerings, including fresh produce, grab-and-go items, snacks, and meal solutions. (All of those things are food.)
An "adult beverage" selection, including beer and wine
Home décor and accessories
Broad beauty assortment presented in boutique-style setting
Apparel and accessories for men, women, and kids, including offerings from new Target-exclusive brands A New Day and Goodfellow & Co.
Portable technology products and entertainment accessories
Toys and sporting goods

There will also be a Starbucks and an order pickup department, which allows you to buy online and pickup in store. Online orders are typically ready for pickup at the store within one hour.

shopping trends

greener grass in tx

Texas blossoms as No. 1 best state for gardening and homesteading

Photo by Laura Ohlman on Unsplash

Texas is an ideal place to homestead, the study found.

If social media is any indicator, homesteading has been one of the hottest trends of 2024. And Texas is leading the charge as the No. 1 best state for homesteading and gardening, according to a new report by First Saturday Lime.

Analysts at First Saturday Lime, an insect repellant company featured on Shark Tank, evaluated the "suitability for sustainable living" across all 50 states based on six factors: Climate, community interest (a.k.a online search trends), gardening resources, farmland costs, and others.

The Lone Star State led the nation with the most farms and ranches on the market and the highest total acreage for sale. As of the study's publication, there were 7,520 total properties for sale, spanning more than 2.19 million acres of land.

Texas also ranked favorably for its farmland affordability. The state came in at No. 9 nationally with its average farmland price coming out to $2,800 per acre, the report said.

For comparison, New Mexico (which ranked No. 11 overall) had the most affordable average price per acre of farmland at just $700 per acre. Massachusetts (No. 48) and Connecticut (No. 42), however, tied for the most expensive price per acre, at $14,300.

Among the three remaining categories in the study, Texas performed the worst for its "gardens on Yelp per capita" rank. The study calculated Texas has 0.30 gardening and community garden establishments on Yelp per capita, placing Texas at No. 49.

Meanwhile, Texas' historically hot weather meant it ranked No. 43 out of all 50 states in the "favorable climate" rank, and the state earned a middle-of-the-road No. 35 rank in the "search interest per capita" category.

"Homesteading and gardening are growing in popularity, but some states provide better opportunities than others," the report's author wrote. "Whether you're after fresh produce or the freedom of self-sufficiency, choosing the right state can make all the difference."

Following behind Texas to complete the top three best states for homesteading and gardening are Oregon (No. 2) and Washington (No. 3), two notoriously rainy West Coast states.

Meanwhile, three East Coast states ranked at the bottom of the list as the worst states for homesteading and gardening: Rhode Island (No. 50), New Jersey (No. 49), and Massachusetts (No. 48).

The top 10 best states for homesteading and gardening are:

No. 1 – Texas
No. 2 – Oregon
No. 3 – Washington
No. 4 – Vermont
No. 5 – Delaware
No. 6 – Arizona
No. 7 – Wyoming
No. 8 – Montana
No. 9 – Hawaii
No. 10 – Colorado

The study sourced its data from Yelp, Google Trends, and the UDSA to determine each state's ranking.

gardening sustainability nature farmers