Photo via Raphael Brion's Flickr. It's the first day of Fall and Target is already counting down the days to Christmas. One shopper spotted this jolly 'ol snowman, amongst the other seasonal characters, just a row or two down from the Halloween candy. Sure, shops are notorious for getting lots of play out of the profitable holidays, but according to Santa's clock, there are still 93 days to go til the big day.......

It was previously reported that Target would be opening their promotional "Bullseye Bodegas" at four temporary locations around Manhattan on September 11th. Now the opening date is September 12th, so either the reports were wrong or someone in marketing realized that 9/11 might not be the most ideal day to launch a campaign with the word "bullseye" in it....

The tanking economy may be dragging retail businesses to a watery grave, but Target isn't going down without a fight. Though it is tough going; net earnings were down 7.6 percent in the quarter ending August 2nd. That's why the company is coming up with innovative new marketing strategies, like capitalizing on a previously unexploited synergy with September 11th patriotism! After all, the retailer's red and white logo is just one color away from Old......

"Everyone is super excited about the Target." Everyone! Or at least real estate players like Jessica Armstead of the Corcoran Group, who predicts that the Target store finally coming to fruition in East Harlem will “totally change” the area’s lagging pace of gentrification. "It appeals to everyone," she tells the Sun. "You go in to get toothpaste and come out with three bags. It's amazing." Armstead is already luring condo buyers into East Harlem with the amazing, exciting shopping utopia to arrive any year now....

Aside from the concerts, there isn't much reason to go to the Southstreet Seaport unless you're 14 and need to hit Abercrombie & Fitch. The NY Sun reports that General Growth Properties, the developer who owns the rights to the area (the Seaport and Fulton Fish Market), is on a mission to turn that all around; but is their mission misguided? With a commercial and residential project that promises a floating pool and a community......