Nostalgia for the "old Target" is resurging as the retailer prepares to revamp its stores amid years of sluggish sales and shifting consumer expectations. Many longtime customers and social media users have expressed fond memories of features that have largely disappeared, such as in-store food courts, neon lighting, and bright, playful colors that contrasted sharply with the company’s current pared-down aesthetic dominated by white, gray, and red tones.

These nostalgic reflections extend to specific elements like Target’s once-popular extra salty popcorn, slushy machines, and browsing experiences in departments such as DVDs and apparel from brands like Mossimo. The retailer’s own Instagram account has engaged with the trend, prompting discussions around customers’ experiences during the 1990s. Some videos dissecting Target’s evolving appeal have attracted thousands of comments, highlighting a sense of loss among shoppers for what they viewed as a more joyful and distinct store environment.

The Minneapolis-based company has acknowledged the need to refine its in-store experience, particularly after several years of challenges exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. In April, Target convened store directors nationwide for training aimed at enhancing customer service, a factor widely seen by both analysts and consumers as having declined. CEO Michael Fiddelke has emphasized improvements in both product assortment and store atmosphere as priorities for restoring the brand’s appeal. He described Target stores as the “heartbeat” of the business, signaling a renewed focus on in-person shopping over pandemic-era services such as drive-up and curbside pickup, which shifted foot traffic away from aisles.

However, the transformation of stores under Fiddelke’s predecessor, Brian Cornell, contributed to a broader shift in the retailer’s operations. Stores have become pivotal distribution centers for online orders, while Target offloaded its pharmacy operations to CVS, expanded its Starbucks partnership, and incorporated shop-in-shop formats featuring brands like Warby Parker, Ulta Beauty, and Disney. These strategic moves, along with the company’s retreat from some diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives and a $1 million donation to President Donald Trump’s inauguration, have led some shoppers to question their loyalty to the brand.

Critics point to operational issues such as cluttered aisles, locked-up essential items like baby formula and laundry detergent in certain urban stores—including the Lake Street location in Minneapolis—and concerns over product quality. Local customers have expressed frustration with inconsistent grocery stocking and the balance between national brands and Target’s private labels.

Some shoppers describe Target as losing its distinct niche between competitors like Walmart and regional grocers such as Lunds & Byerlys. Brian Kolling of Maple Grove, Minnesota, remarked that he could easily choose either side but struggles to identify a compelling reason to shop at Target today.

Despite these challenges, the company’s stock has risen nearly 30 percent over the past year, and some analysts are growing more optimistic about the retailer’s future. Fiddelke acknowledged the company’s mixed recent performance during a March earnings call, pledging a return to its core identity and better execution in the coming years. Whether the planned store revamp will reconcile longtime customer affection with evolving shopper demands for price, selection, and experience remains an open question.