The Discount Department Store Missing Middle

The subtle importance of the “medium-format” discount department store

When I was visiting my hometown of Flemington, New Jersey earlier this month, I stopped in a recently opened Target. Relatively recent—August 2025. It’s got a more modern interior look than most Targets, but otherwise it’s pretty much the same.

Here’s the outside, taken on a very nice day:

And another entrance over on the side, because the space is kind o…