Target, Kohl's & Other Retailers Are Opening Stores Within Stores

One-stop shopping is so hot right now. Since so many people have learned how to shop from home or to use pickup options, retailers are learning that if customers are going to come inside and shop, they’re going to need to make it worth their time.

While malls continue to suffer from lower foot traffic and revenues, a number of retailers are hoping you’ll see them as your “new” mall moving forward.

A number of retail brands have buddied up with some of the most popular store chains for noteworthy store-within-a-store concepts. Make sure to download the KCL app so you never miss a deal.

 

Target is racing to open 800 Ulta mini-stores.

Target and Ulta teamed up to open 100 mini-stores in 2021 — and they’re reallllly happy with the results. By the end of 2022, they’re going to add 250 more stores, on the way toward 800 total in future years, the company says.

This means more and more Target shoppers will have access to some of Ulta’s most popular established and emerging products alongside Target’s existing brands. Target shoppers can use their gift cards and 5% RedCard savings on Ulta items.

And best of all, shoppers can take advantage of both Target Circle and Ultamate Rewards programs simultaneously.

Convinced yet that they want to be your new mall?

 

Lowe’s is beginning to add Petco to some of their stores.

Lowe’s has teamed up with pet retailer Petco, and will offer hundreds of Petco products in a specially branded section in-store and via Lowes.com — and some locations will even offer services like vaccination clinics, microchipping and grooming.

The first Petco mini-store opened inside the Alamo Ranch, Texas, location. By the end of March 2022, Lowe’s will have dedicated Petco space in 15 total stores in Texas, North Carolina, and South Carolina. More locations will likely be announced in spring 2022.

That means you can use our many Lowe’s savings tips to spend less on Petco products!

 

Kroger will sell Bed Bath & Beyond online and in stores.

In November 2021, Kroger announced a partnership with Bed Bath & Beyond. The country’s largest supermarket will sell popular items from BB&B (and sister store buybuyBaby) at select stores starting in 2022.

While Kroger hasn’t announced which stores would be getting dedicated store space for Bed Bath & Beyond, customers will be able to shop Bed Bath & Beyond from Kroger.com early next year.

If you’re looking to save money on Bed Bath & Beyond, now you might want to brush up on our Kroger savings tips.

 

Target has 160 mini Disney Stores and counting.

The Disney Store is a thing of the past, but Target keeps adding more Disney mini-stores! As of late 2021, they had 160 locations across the U.S., which is triple their original amount.

The branded section of the store carries more than 100 products that had only been sold at Disney retail locations. Shoppers will be able to use their gift cards and RedCard 5% discount to save on their purchases.

 

Apple mini stores have started opening inside Target.

As of August 2021, the low tables, overhead lighting, video displays, and sleek look of the Apple Store started popping up at Target stores.

With these Apple mini-stores, Target is expanding the number of Apple products they sell, doubling Apple’s in-store footprint, and offering customers expert advice via Apple-trained employees.

Best of all? You can use Target gift cards (and Target RedCard!) on even more Apple purchases.

There are only several dozen Target stores with mini Apple Stores, but expect more to come in future years.

 

Sephora has started appearing inside Kohl’s.

JCPenney customers have been shopping at Sephora mini-stores for years, but that partnership is coming to an end in early 2023.

In its place, Sephora will set up shop in 850 Kohl’s locations between 2021 and 2023 as a big part of their growth strategy. These 2,500 square foot mini-stores will sell makeup, skincare, hair and fragrance products near the stores’ entrance.

Each mini-store will be staffed by Kohl’s employees trained by Sephora.

 

Gymboree is open inside The Children’s Place.

Gymboree’s bankruptcy closed all 800 of their stores back in 2019. Shortly after, former rival The Children’s Place bought the brand and relaunched the popular toddler/baby styles within 200 of their existing stores.

 

 

Toys R Us is now part of 400 Macy’s locations.

Toys”R”Us has had a tough go since their bankruptcy in 2017, but they’ve found a new store home inside Macy’s stores — 400 of them to be exact.

The Toys”R”Us Toy Shop is a special toy section within Macy’s that looks to grow Macy’s toy sales. (They’re expecting the partnership to quintuple their toy business.) Toys”R”Us also has a branded section at Macys.com.

 

Soma is opening inside Chico’s.

Women’s clothing retailer Chico’s and intimate apparel chain Soma are owned by the same parent company. Chico’s FAS, Inc. is looking to reduce their overall footprint by up to 330 stores over the next couple of years.

But their growing Soma brand will find a new home inside 50 Chico’s locations this year.

 

Walmart has Build-A-Bear at select locations.

Walmart‘s 2018 pilot program with Build-A-Bear has grown to 17 superstores hosting stuffed animal workshops.

These Build-A-Bear locations aren’t like some of these other partnerships; Build-A-Bear is running independently of Walmart and won’t accept Walmart gift cards or store credit.

Better yet, Build-A-Bear lists their Walmart locations on their website.

 

Hy-Vee grocery stores have introduced a DSW section.

As of 2022, 16 Hy-Vee grocery stores in Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska and Wisconsin have a new DSW section.

The store-within-a-store is really just a DSW-branded shoe section inside select Hy-Vee stores with some very important perks: You’ll be able to use both DSW gift cards and Hy-Vee gift cards to make your shoe purchases.

 

You can find GNC inside Rite Aid.

GNC and Rite Aid were some of the pioneers of the store-within-a-store concept. The drugstore has had a special place for the health supplements dealer in physical stores and online since 1998.

There are approximately 2,200 GNC store-within-a-store locations operating in Rite Aid bannered stores nationwide. Use your earned BonusCash and other Rite Aid programs to lower the cost on GNC supplements.

 

Tonal is opening stores inside Nordstrom.

Fitness equipment maker Tonal has set up shop inside 40 Nordstrom locations in 20 states. That’s a big expansion of retail space for the company, which currently has just a handful of stores across the country.

The 50-square-foot spaces in Nordstrom will be in the women’s active department, and will allow shoppers to see a demo of the home smart gym, or even try a workout for themselves.

This builds on Tonal’s 8-store partnership with experiential retail store B8ta.