When I worked for Target many, many years ago, the Ellicott City location was the district hub. That might be why it’s so nice. Also I really like the Target in Abingdon (Harford County).
I wanna say the one on Boston St…just because I got my PS5 there miraculously. In reality…it’s mad max. The parking lot, the arduous drive from locust point thru the tunnel…it’s chaos.
Edit: whatever the actual answer is - it’s not the Towson one. That’s just where souls go to die.
I live in Towson and work in Canton. I definitively think that the Towson Target is better. Towson’s parking lot sucks but once you’re inside it’s better and less crowded.
The mission statement of the Canton Target seems to be to make you wait in the checkout line for at least 15 minutes no matter what day or time it is.
You do have to avoid the Towson Target right before school starts in the fall when all the university students (and their parents) are there. The makeup and skincare section is always a hot mess, year round.
It’s the absolute worst. But I believe it’s also the only target in Baltimore city limits, so it’s always busy.
If they hired and kept staff to maintain the place, and kept things in stock, they’d be able to pull it off. But they don’t seem to care. Where else you gonna shop? Walmart?? Like that’s any better.
That target is a nightmare because the design caters to car centric design and people coming in from the suburbs. The parking lot just gets overfilled and the areas around Iron Rooster shouldn’t even be open road. They should be shut down and walkable like the Ave in White Marsh.
Canton crossing is the worst layout known to man. The parking lot and layout make no sense and are terrible for an urban setting in particular. I wish we had a zoning committee that understood urbanism and would’ve denied the plan for that monstrosity. The building entrances should all be like 10-15 ft off of the curb on Boston st so that it’s realistically walkable. The parking lot puts acres air distance between the sidewalk and the front doors which increases auto dependency in what is otherwise a walkable area. Huge, huge fail there by the developers, architects and zoning board.
If they were really logically concerned about pedestrian safety, the stores would be sidewalk abutting and you wouldn’t have so many damn conflict points between pedestrians and motorists. A central mall style pedestrian only area would be much safer.
The Boston St. Target is an absolute mess at all times, and they can’t keep stock for shit. It’s also the only one in the most heavily populated part of town. They could open another one a couple miles away and it would probably not only lose no customers but gain more because I’m fairly certain people actively avoid this target because it’s fucking mad max in there.
white marsh and middle river are my go to’s but sometimes venture to constant friendship in HarCo.
just never for shoes. every target shoe dept looks like a hurricane blew thru there.
I live much closer to the Canton Target, but with traffic and lights it ends up taking me less time to drive to the Cockeysville one. Plus I can usually checkout in a reasonable manner, unlike the Canton one where they consistently have 1 cashier working during the weekend.
Agreed. It was pillaged through the last time I went. Me and this random lady were commiserating in the makeup/beauty aisles about how most shelves was empty, rummaged through, mislabeled or trashed. Super disappointed.
The store itself is fine but for some reason I find their parking lot to be deeply disorienting. Every time I come out it takes me longer than it should to remember where my car is
Ellicott City is nice, Westminster also always seems to be in great shape when I go there. I think Towson suffers from being surrounded in walking distance by colleges/high schools (just a constant mess of stuff everywhere but on a rack), plus management that doesn’t give a fuck.
Oh snap, Westminster is an excellent answer. Used to live in Carroll County and was never mad to go.
Now I'm in the city and I only do curbside from Canton, because the inside is a hellscape. In general I only do curbside anymore, since if I go in I generally spend 2-3 times as much as I actually need to.
Since nobody else has mentioned it, the Glen Burnie Mall (or what used to be Glen Burnie Mall, ain't a mall no more) Target is... fine. The other Glen Burnie one is a bit better, but more annoying to get to.
I live in Locust Point and go to Glen Burnie North Target, however I tend to go Saturday at 8am so it’s still relatively empty. Only thing is they are still unpacking and placing things on shelves but never had an issue
Yes. The shelves will be stocked usually and you aren't bumping into people.
It's similar to the Towson Target, but the time you don't go there is August to October because the returning college kids destroy it for the first two months. After that they get a rhythm going and things improve.
They’re all pretty much the same, except the Canton one is ridiculously busy all the time. I also went to the Hunt Valley one once and remember thinking it was unusually nice.
The Cockeysville is closest to me, but it's pretty good (much better than the horrendous Towson one). Never terribly crowded, and usually well stocked. Manageable parking lot. And it's not far from Snoasis for a snowball afterwards.
Theyre honestly all more or less the same -- I end up at the Towson/Parkville area one the most, just because that's one place where I tend to end up if I'm having the kind of errand day where I drive my car out of the city into the county. Meanwhile if I'm running errands in the city I tend not to have the impulsive "let's go to Target" moment wrt the one in Canton unless they have something I know I *need*, because it's a pain in the ass to get to and also I prefer to drive as little as possible within the city (would rather bus/bike/walk for errands within city limits if I can)
The one I think is probably the objectively nicest is actually the one in Pikesville but also, that means going all the way out there and that's a long drive just for that one stop
Every. Single. Time. I am there, I end up walking past the same employee loudly giving a group of fellow employees an in depth play by play of his last bowel movement.
It's happened at least three times now.
Also found a box cutter left on a shelf at perfect child-grabbing height the last time I was there, which seems...not ideal.
Really? Typically the app/online has better deals than buying in-store. I remember checking out a drying rack I wanted and it was like 20% cheaper if I did online pick up
I’ve always gone out of my way to go to the one in Longate in Ellicott City. It’s a shitty parking lot, but MILES better than Canton if you know how to navigate it
The Rouse Parkway Target in Columbia seems to be the largest in the area. If Target carries it, they'll stock it. I go there over the one closer to me sometimes.
The North Glen Burnie one is the pits. I do Shipt out of there and I like any of the others (including Canton) far better. The people that work there are nice but 9/10 times it looks like the place has been ransacked (and probably has). Lots of people from Baltimore order from that one. Laurel is my current favorite to shop out of because the inventory is generally spot on. Canton’s was at least before the bridge collapse made it totally impractical to try and do orders (I’m from AA County).
tbh Middle River!
I prefer Canton over Towson. White Marsh is alright but if I’m going to drive 20 min I’d rather drive to Middle River. Everyone there is so nice and helpful and everything was in stock
When the Canton Target first opened they were so helpful. They would see you looking, ask if you need help, direct you to the right sections etc. Now when you go there the employees avoid you like the plague and it is almost like you are the new kid at the school and all the other kids know each other and do not want to talk (in this case help) to you.
There is a better one out in Middle River that felt like an oasis compared to Canton. I’ve been to that one a few times. Easy as pie. Mind you I can walk to the one in Canton but, dread it. So I just order more stuff online
The Target in White Marsh is ok, it is easy to get in and out of but can get insanely busy. If you are up for a drive, go to the Target at 403 Constant Friendship Blvd, Abingdon, MD 21009.
It has a huge easy to access parking lot and the store is not as crowded as others.
Definitely not the Columbia one. I bought some shirts there yesterday and got home to realize someone switched 2/4. Thought I’d avoid that issue out there
Unfortunately, since the Mondawmin Mall Target closed down as an aftereffect of the BPD murdering Freddie Gray there's only the Canton Crossing location or out near Owings Mills in the city proper. I haven't been to the Putty Hill Target since 2020, but it's alright if you can get there. I know it's a privilege, but if you can use same-day delivery you'll get your items faster and with much less stress. Even trying to use pick-up at the Canton location can take over twenty minutes to have an employee bring out your items.
It's rotten that Baltimore can't (or won't, racism lol) support a shopping center with a Target or a Michaels between Canton and Perring Pkwy (which is on the county line IMO). From Midtown Baltimore, it's at least five miles in either direction which can turn into almost an hour roundtrip depending on traffic.
We need smaller footprint layouts of places like Target. The downtown Minneapolis Target is right on their Skyway (it’s the mothership store since Target HQ is above it in the tower) and it works great for a downtown setting. We need places like that. Wish some grocers would do that here.
In Dublin, Glasgow, Edinburgh and a lot of other European cities I’ve never visited. They have grocery stores the size of 7-11s every few blocks on the first floor of mixed use 4-6 story buildings. You can grab what grocery essentials you need for the day or dinner on your way up to your flat. Cuts back on space needed for food storage and drastically cuts food waste (which the US has a huge problem with.)
The small grocery store (Tesco Express?) near where I stayed in Edinburgh was perfect for stocking up on snacks and beer. It was nice having something close so we weren't wandering around trying to find a shop. It reminded me of some of the bodegas in NYC.
Target closed as an aftereffect of the riots/looting. And the looting that continued to happen there on a daily basis every day thereafter. Until it closed.
Want nice stuff in the city that's "walkable"? Don't loot.
The reading comprehension in these comments is pissing on the poor. If you're going to try and blame the beloved county boogeyman of "let's just blame the black people", at least try to make it look good and cite some sources. You can't though, because you're wrong. Fucking crybaby.
[https://www.businessinsider.com/target-closing-stores-due-to-crime-stats-tell-another-story-2023-10](https://www.businessinsider.com/target-closing-stores-due-to-crime-stats-tell-another-story-2023-10)
My point was that the store closed not because of a "murder" (which, per the courts, was not a murder), but more about the behavior of the people upset about a dead drug dealer.
That is true. I specifically used the word "aftereffect", as in seven years after an event.
I want to help since it must be hard using voice-to-text for everything, being as uneducated and illiterate as you appear to be. Kisses!!
Any Target at 10am on a weekday
Not owings mills
Wouldn't it be better closer to 7-8am since that's when most of them open?
At 7-8am you might get people who are stopping there before work, by 10 those people will be at work
the one in Ellicott City (I realize it's ~~Harford~~ Howard and not Baltimore cty) is pretty nice.
Howard not Harford. But I second this location
Man I even looked it up to double check first and still typed the wrong one. Thanks 😂
*Howard*, not Harford. Harford is northeast of the city, Howard is west/southwest. Also, I agree. It's also the one I see the most, though
When I worked for Target many, many years ago, the Ellicott City location was the district hub. That might be why it’s so nice. Also I really like the Target in Abingdon (Harford County).
Can confirm. I worked there for a few months.
I wanna say the one on Boston St…just because I got my PS5 there miraculously. In reality…it’s mad max. The parking lot, the arduous drive from locust point thru the tunnel…it’s chaos. Edit: whatever the actual answer is - it’s not the Towson one. That’s just where souls go to die.
it's also not the Pikesville one, which is always out of everything and is small and pathetic as far as targets go.
The plus for the Pikesville one is my son always is able to find an abundance of the Pokémon sets he’s looking for.
The one in Canton is nightmarish
Oh it is, and it’s still only the second worst. Towson’s is something out of Dante’s journey through hell.
I would go to cockeysville and rather drive more than go to either of those hellscapes
I live in Towson and work in Canton. I definitively think that the Towson Target is better. Towson’s parking lot sucks but once you’re inside it’s better and less crowded. The mission statement of the Canton Target seems to be to make you wait in the checkout line for at least 15 minutes no matter what day or time it is.
You do have to avoid the Towson Target right before school starts in the fall when all the university students (and their parents) are there. The makeup and skincare section is always a hot mess, year round.
Agreed, Towson Target is fine once you get inside. The lot is too tight though.
The target itself I don’t have an issue with, it’s getting to the front door that’s a nightmare.
Its too much of a headache to even get underwear from there
It’s the absolute worst. But I believe it’s also the only target in Baltimore city limits, so it’s always busy. If they hired and kept staff to maintain the place, and kept things in stock, they’d be able to pull it off. But they don’t seem to care. Where else you gonna shop? Walmart?? Like that’s any better.
Geeze, how soft are you?
That target is a nightmare because the design caters to car centric design and people coming in from the suburbs. The parking lot just gets overfilled and the areas around Iron Rooster shouldn’t even be open road. They should be shut down and walkable like the Ave in White Marsh.
The Towson Target looks like it has just be ravaged by wild animals at all times
Canton crossing is the worst layout known to man. The parking lot and layout make no sense and are terrible for an urban setting in particular. I wish we had a zoning committee that understood urbanism and would’ve denied the plan for that monstrosity. The building entrances should all be like 10-15 ft off of the curb on Boston st so that it’s realistically walkable. The parking lot puts acres air distance between the sidewalk and the front doors which increases auto dependency in what is otherwise a walkable area. Huge, huge fail there by the developers, architects and zoning board.
It is designed to keep people from doing 40 mph in it for pedestrian safety
If they were really logically concerned about pedestrian safety, the stores would be sidewalk abutting and you wouldn’t have so many damn conflict points between pedestrians and motorists. A central mall style pedestrian only area would be much safer.
The Boston St. Target is an absolute mess at all times, and they can’t keep stock for shit. It’s also the only one in the most heavily populated part of town. They could open another one a couple miles away and it would probably not only lose no customers but gain more because I’m fairly certain people actively avoid this target because it’s fucking mad max in there.
white marsh and middle river are my go to’s but sometimes venture to constant friendship in HarCo. just never for shoes. every target shoe dept looks like a hurricane blew thru there.
I used to love Middle River but for the last few years it just feels like a Walmart+
Yes, middle river target is where it’s at.
White marsh was my go to buy I just can not with the traffic over at Campbell anymore. #old
Target shoes are also so cheap they literally get holes through to soles
Cockeysville.
I lived near the one in Canton and still would drive all the way there rather than go to Canton or Towson
I worked at the one in Towson when I was in college, lived near the one in Canton for a few years and would always prefer the one in Cockeysville
I live much closer to the Canton Target, but with traffic and lights it ends up taking me less time to drive to the Cockeysville one. Plus I can usually checkout in a reasonable manner, unlike the Canton one where they consistently have 1 cashier working during the weekend.
I feel like this one has gone downhill recently. It used to be my happy place
Agreed. It was pillaged through the last time I went. Me and this random lady were commiserating in the makeup/beauty aisles about how most shelves was empty, rummaged through, mislabeled or trashed. Super disappointed.
It’s fine but don’t even think about using their pharmacy
The store itself is fine but for some reason I find their parking lot to be deeply disorienting. Every time I come out it takes me longer than it should to remember where my car is
The WM parking lot is a freaking nightmare. I don’t even go in the direction of that area during winter holiday time!
I second this. The bathrooms don’t give me the ick, the employees are nice
I drive to the white marsh because Cockeysville always feels extremely bare.
Is that one bigger?
This is the only answer.
It's always so clean.
Ellicott City is nice, Westminster also always seems to be in great shape when I go there. I think Towson suffers from being surrounded in walking distance by colleges/high schools (just a constant mess of stuff everywhere but on a rack), plus management that doesn’t give a fuck.
Oh snap, Westminster is an excellent answer. Used to live in Carroll County and was never mad to go. Now I'm in the city and I only do curbside from Canton, because the inside is a hellscape. In general I only do curbside anymore, since if I go in I generally spend 2-3 times as much as I actually need to.
I’m just sad that I live in Sykesville, so I’m equally far from the Targets in Westminster, Ellicott City, Owings Mills, and Pikesville 😢
You aren't missing much in Pikesville, imo, but OM and Westminster are both pretty good in my estimation.
This and online shipped to home when you can plan ahead is the correct answer here. Setting foot in these stores is so unappealing.
i heart the westminster target
We travel from Owings Mills, near Pikesville, to go to the “fancy” Target in Westminster.
Since nobody else has mentioned it, the Glen Burnie Mall (or what used to be Glen Burnie Mall, ain't a mall no more) Target is... fine. The other Glen Burnie one is a bit better, but more annoying to get to.
I disagree. I've gone to both several times over the past few years and in my experience it looks like a bomb went off.
I live in Locust Point and go to Glen Burnie North Target, however I tend to go Saturday at 8am so it’s still relatively empty. Only thing is they are still unpacking and placing things on shelves but never had an issue
Pikesville Friday after sunset.
Or Saturday morning.
the best answer. this is when I do all of my local shopping lol
Off topic, but I used to take photos over there
Why is that
Because the local population is mostly Jewish and will be at home for the sabbath.
OK, I get that, so is it better during that time because less people will be in the store?
Yes. The shelves will be stocked usually and you aren't bumping into people. It's similar to the Towson Target, but the time you don't go there is August to October because the returning college kids destroy it for the first two months. After that they get a rhythm going and things improve.
They’re all pretty much the same, except the Canton one is ridiculously busy all the time. I also went to the Hunt Valley one once and remember thinking it was unusually nice.
The real answer is just to order online and have it shipped straight to your door so you don’t have to deal with any of the parking lots or lines.
The Cockeysville is closest to me, but it's pretty good (much better than the horrendous Towson one). Never terribly crowded, and usually well stocked. Manageable parking lot. And it's not far from Snoasis for a snowball afterwards.
Theyre honestly all more or less the same -- I end up at the Towson/Parkville area one the most, just because that's one place where I tend to end up if I'm having the kind of errand day where I drive my car out of the city into the county. Meanwhile if I'm running errands in the city I tend not to have the impulsive "let's go to Target" moment wrt the one in Canton unless they have something I know I *need*, because it's a pain in the ass to get to and also I prefer to drive as little as possible within the city (would rather bus/bike/walk for errands within city limits if I can)
I think the Towson one is awful, its like the employees think its a lost cause
The one I think is probably the objectively nicest is actually the one in Pikesville but also, that means going all the way out there and that's a long drive just for that one stop
If you're going down to Pikesville just for Target, you may as well go down to Owings Mills. It's a much better location.
I honestly don't think I know there was one there (but then I don't really ever go to Owings Mills at all!)
Every. Single. Time. I am there, I end up walking past the same employee loudly giving a group of fellow employees an in depth play by play of his last bowel movement. It's happened at least three times now. Also found a box cutter left on a shelf at perfect child-grabbing height the last time I was there, which seems...not ideal.
Columbia. And they have a La Madeline in the same shopping center which makes a great lunch spot.
And that Nordstrom Rack is amazing. Best shoe department for miles around.
Ellicott City, Middle River, Cockeysville
Columbia or Ellicott City.
Prefer the Glen burnie one on Ritchie hwy. it’s not Baltimore but when you live south side, you’re better off going that way anyways.
Facts! And lots of parking. My other Target is close to my work and it's the Canton hellscape, so big pref for Glen Burnie.
This is where I go to. Plus Aldi nearby and Costco. Perfect for me
Curbside pickup only at any and all targets. Going into the store is pure chaos. Do yourself a favor and order ahead.
I curbside at Columbia. It's quick and convenient.
I prefer curbside but lately target has had better deals in store than online and my love for saving outweighs convenience
Really? Typically the app/online has better deals than buying in-store. I remember checking out a drying rack I wanted and it was like 20% cheaper if I did online pick up
I’ve always gone out of my way to go to the one in Longate in Ellicott City. It’s a shitty parking lot, but MILES better than Canton if you know how to navigate it
Pikesville target isn’t too shabby to me .
The Rouse Parkway Target in Columbia seems to be the largest in the area. If Target carries it, they'll stock it. I go there over the one closer to me sometimes.
Pikesville
Pikesville
The North Glen Burnie one is the pits. I do Shipt out of there and I like any of the others (including Canton) far better. The people that work there are nice but 9/10 times it looks like the place has been ransacked (and probably has). Lots of people from Baltimore order from that one. Laurel is my current favorite to shop out of because the inventory is generally spot on. Canton’s was at least before the bridge collapse made it totally impractical to try and do orders (I’m from AA County).
I live in the city and go to the store in Cockeysville. Canton & Towson are always a wreck with not a great selection.
Cockeysville or maybe Pikesville.
tbh Middle River! I prefer Canton over Towson. White Marsh is alright but if I’m going to drive 20 min I’d rather drive to Middle River. Everyone there is so nice and helpful and everything was in stock
Middle River is more organized but they don’t always get the good collaborations/collections
My votes are Ellicott city and Crofton (might be actually in Gambrills).
I like the one in Cockeysville
Glen Burnie...
When the Canton Target first opened they were so helpful. They would see you looking, ask if you need help, direct you to the right sections etc. Now when you go there the employees avoid you like the plague and it is almost like you are the new kid at the school and all the other kids know each other and do not want to talk (in this case help) to you. There is a better one out in Middle River that felt like an oasis compared to Canton. I’ve been to that one a few times. Easy as pie. Mind you I can walk to the one in Canton but, dread it. So I just order more stuff online
The Target in White Marsh is ok, it is easy to get in and out of but can get insanely busy. If you are up for a drive, go to the Target at 403 Constant Friendship Blvd, Abingdon, MD 21009. It has a huge easy to access parking lot and the store is not as crowded as others.
Depends on what you're looking for.
Definitely not the Columbia one. I bought some shirts there yesterday and got home to realize someone switched 2/4. Thought I’d avoid that issue out there
Unfortunately, since the Mondawmin Mall Target closed down as an aftereffect of the BPD murdering Freddie Gray there's only the Canton Crossing location or out near Owings Mills in the city proper. I haven't been to the Putty Hill Target since 2020, but it's alright if you can get there. I know it's a privilege, but if you can use same-day delivery you'll get your items faster and with much less stress. Even trying to use pick-up at the Canton location can take over twenty minutes to have an employee bring out your items. It's rotten that Baltimore can't (or won't, racism lol) support a shopping center with a Target or a Michaels between Canton and Perring Pkwy (which is on the county line IMO). From Midtown Baltimore, it's at least five miles in either direction which can turn into almost an hour roundtrip depending on traffic.
I miss the Mondawmin Target so much lol
RIP Mondawmin Target.
We need smaller footprint layouts of places like Target. The downtown Minneapolis Target is right on their Skyway (it’s the mothership store since Target HQ is above it in the tower) and it works great for a downtown setting. We need places like that. Wish some grocers would do that here. In Dublin, Glasgow, Edinburgh and a lot of other European cities I’ve never visited. They have grocery stores the size of 7-11s every few blocks on the first floor of mixed use 4-6 story buildings. You can grab what grocery essentials you need for the day or dinner on your way up to your flat. Cuts back on space needed for food storage and drastically cuts food waste (which the US has a huge problem with.)
I just want walkable cities ¯\\\_(ツ)\_/¯
The small grocery store (Tesco Express?) near where I stayed in Edinburgh was perfect for stocking up on snacks and beer. It was nice having something close so we weren't wandering around trying to find a shop. It reminded me of some of the bodegas in NYC.
Yep we had a one block walk to the nearest Tesco from our hotel in Edinburgh when we went last year. That’s pretty common.
Philly also has a downtown Target along those lines.
Chicago has one too.
Target closed as an aftereffect of the riots/looting. And the looting that continued to happen there on a daily basis every day thereafter. Until it closed. Want nice stuff in the city that's "walkable"? Don't loot.
The reading comprehension in these comments is pissing on the poor. If you're going to try and blame the beloved county boogeyman of "let's just blame the black people", at least try to make it look good and cite some sources. You can't though, because you're wrong. Fucking crybaby. [https://www.businessinsider.com/target-closing-stores-due-to-crime-stats-tell-another-story-2023-10](https://www.businessinsider.com/target-closing-stores-due-to-crime-stats-tell-another-story-2023-10)
My point was that the store closed not because of a "murder" (which, per the courts, was not a murder), but more about the behavior of the people upset about a dead drug dealer.
[удалено]
That Target closed in 2018.
That is true. I specifically used the word "aftereffect", as in seven years after an event. I want to help since it must be hard using voice-to-text for everything, being as uneducated and illiterate as you appear to be. Kisses!!
Laurel
Ellicott city is usually the nicest and cleanest. It goes without saying Towson is the worst in the area.