91ÊÓƵ

Could this be a sign that Target is really coming to downtown Portland? Why, yes, I think it is.

The 91ÊÓƵ wrote in October that Target was finalizing its lease for a downtown Portland store, and now it looks like it’s really happening you guys!  Construction fencing has been erected around the Galleria Building at Southwest Tenth Avenue and Alder Street, and a large, vertical sign is welded to the corner of the building, though that sign has been there for a while. In any case, the sign looks a lot like the one in renderings originally submitted to the city when the store was in its early planning stages.

To confirm this, I put a call in to the Bill Naito Co., the owner of the building, but CEO Bill Barendrick was on the phone and couldn’t take my call immediately. The receptionist, however, let out a knowing chuckle when I said I was calling about the Galleria Building. Take that for what it’s worth. Employees with the company have for a while been under a confidentiality agreement regarding the Target store.

Anyway, do you know what this means?! It means working downtown is about to get so. much. better. I’m already thinking of all the things I’m going to be able to buy on my lunch break. Local economy? Psht. They can’t build this store fast enough!