Last week an Omaha Developer signed an option to purchase contract on land east of the Manhattan Airport, at Senic Dr. and Highway 18.

The new development will have a Target store and two big box stores. The company has many hurdles to jump before opening, just ask Wal-Mart.

The land is outside of the City of Manhattan but is within the Manhattan Area Planning Board region. This means the company will go through the County to get the zoning changed but will go before the Planning Board for construction.

This Target store will be about 126,000 quare feet, much like the Target store in Topeka at 21st and Wanamaker. Target also has a SuperTarget store, which combined groceries and special services with a Target.

The Target web site gives the history of the company:

Target stores strive to be the best place to buy high-quality merchandise at low prices in surroundings that make shopping fun. A recent USA Today poll found that Target is "in". It’s the place to find the latest trends at the best prices.

* The first Target store opened on May 1, 1962 in Roseville, Minnesota, a suburb of St. Paul.

* Nearly 1000 Target stores operate in 46 states, including Target Greatland stores, and SuperTarget stores.

* Typical Target stores average 126,000 square feet in size, Greatland stores are 135,000 square feet and SuperTarget stores are 177,000 square feet.

* Target stores provide employment for approximately 214,000 people.

* Target store headquarters is located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, with regional offices in Los Angeles, California; Dallas, Texas; Minneapolis, Minnesota; Richmond, Virginia; and Troy, Michigan.

* Target stores growth strategy translates to financial successes in the billions.

Another site:

Unlike most other mass merchandisers, we have department store roots. Back in 1961, Dayton’s department store identified a demand for a store that sold less expensive goods in a quick, convenient format. Target was born.

In 1962, the first Target store opened in Roseville, Minnesota. We were the first retail store to offer well-known national brands at discounted prices.

The ’70s

We paved new ground by implementing electronic cash registers storewide to monitor inventory and speed up guest service. We also began hosting an annual shopping event for seniors and people with disabilities, plus a toy safety campaign.

The ’80s

Opening new stores all the time, we rolled out electronic scanning nationwide.

The ’90s

We launched our first Target Greatland(r) store. Our Club Wedd bridal gift registry went nationwide in 1995, and Lullaby Club soon followed. We opened our first SuperTarget store, which combined groceries and special services with a Target Greatland store. We introduced our credit card, the Target Guest Card*.

*The Target Guest Card is a credit card issued by Retailers National Bank, an affiliate of Target.

In early 2000, target.direct, the e-commerce and catalog division of Target Corporation, was born. Its first site, target.com, combined the Target store shopping experience with the services guests expect. Since then, target.com has expanded to include over 15,000 products and gifts, Club Wedd and Lullaby Club, Target Pharmacy, Target Guest Card and more. target.direct also operates marshallfields.com, mervyns.com and catalogs and Web sites: Seasons, Wireless, Signals and IloveADeal.