Target Has Stores in 49 States. It's About to Snag No. 50

Imagine living in a state without a Target. It's not some hypothetical apocalyptic future; it's reality for the residents of Vermont, which has never had the iconic retailer inside its borders—but that's about to change. Since its founding in 1962, Target has built stores in all 49 other states, Washington DC, and even India. But an attempt to bring a location to Vermont fell through in 2012 when some locals questioned the size of the store, the Burlington Free Press reports; some Vermonters don't like the idea of adding another big-box store to the state, where Walmart, Kmart, Home Depot, and others already have locations. But others have been pleading for a Target, and the company announced Thursday that their dreams will be coming true.

A location will be opened in South Burlington next year, prompting a "Breaking News" banner on the website of the local paper, per NPR. The store will be around 60,000 square feet, smaller than the average 130,000-square-foot Target, and it will employ 75 people. "While we may be the last state to join the Target family, we know they will quickly become part of the Vermont community and look forward to seeing its long-term success in the state," Vermont Gov. Phil Scott said in a press release. South Burlington's city manager says he hopes this will keep people shopping in the state, rather than crossing Lake Champlain to go to the Target in Plattsburgh, New York. (More Target stories.)