There common knowledge out there is that Walmart, Target, etc. are fundamentally opposed to urbanist values. Between their auto-oriented massive lots, mind-numbingly bland consumerism, unscrupulous labor practices, and reliance on significant public support through tax deals and stroad projects, they don't seem to offer much toward achieving a vibrant town or neighborhood.
But the two stores, especially Target (which seems to have a stronger appeal to yuppies and students somehow), remain very popular so I was very happy to see their new urban model in Dinkytown. It reminded me of the Monoprix on the Boulevard Saint-Michel in Paris:
https://www.google.com/maps/@48.850768,2.342907,3a,75y,290.44h,82.38t/data=!3m3!1e1!3m1!2e0!6m1!1e1
For better or worse, Target and Walmart aren't going away anytime soon. This new Target model shows that we can at least make them better.
