See. Spot. Scram.
By Joanna Miller in News on Jul 14, 2006 1:55PM
Chicagoist is sometimes a bad judge of character. Sometimes we meet someone new and are too quick to like them. Too quick to marvel in their awesomeness, only to be eventually let down when we realize they’re not so perfect, and really kind of a schmuck. That’s how we feel about Target right about now.
We fell fast and hard for Target and its brand of hip discount shopping. Of course, we despised Wal-Mart, but Target made us feel good about shopping there. And even though we knew, deep down, this cheap chic had to come at the expense of someone, somewhere, we looked too damn good in our Isaac Mizrahi sweater set to care enough to stop shopping there. And when we read that Newsweek named it one of the top "15 people and organizations who use fame, fortune, heart and soul to help others," we felt all warm and fuzzy about spending our hard-earned dollars at Target.
But when we heard Target Corp. had suspended plans for at least two new Chicago stores in a move to fight a proposed law that would force big-box retailers to meet a city-specific minimum wage and benefit levels, our discount-loving heart broke a little. The law would require retailers with stores over 90,000 square feet in size to pay employees at least $10 an hour and provide them benefits of at least $3 an hour.
The proposal is aimed at Wal-Mart, which will open its first store in Chicago this summer, but it would apply to Target, which already has six stores in the city and one under construction. If the proposal passes, and Target makes good on its threat, developments at Marshfield Plaza in Morgan Park and at Wilson Yard in Uptown will face serious obstacles.
Alderman Joe Moore insists he has enough votes to pass the measure, and to oppose a veto from Mayor Daley, who has criticized the proposal, if necessary. He accused Target of “resorting to threats and scare tactics,” but said “Chicken Little is alive and well in the city of Chicago.”
We’re not exactly sure what that last part means, but we’re beginning to think we may have to start buying our toilet paper and handbags at separate stores.