MINNEAPOLIS — In September, Xcel Energy will join a growing list of employers in downtown Minneapolis that will require it's workers to return to the office at least three days a week.
According to the Minneapolis Downtown Council, "the vast majority" of downtown's top 15 employers have issued similar mandates in the last year, but there is one major exception: Target.
Reporter Brianna Kelly spent months talking to downtown Minneapolis businesses about the flexible hybrid approach of downtown's largest employer, and the impact it is having on the local economy.
"You know, everyone wants Target to be back; we need Target to be back," Kelly said. "They're a huge part of the entire ecosystem downtown."
Kelly spoke to a variety of downtown leaders in different industries about the impact Target's office strategy has had on everything from property values to the hospitality business.
“We've lost an arm and a leg staying put and waiting for downtown to get back," restaurateur David Fhima told Kelly. "We’re done waiting. We’re calling on Target: Do your part, please.”
But she says Target looms so large, that she heard from many more who didn't want to speak publicly.
"A lot of people are talking about how great it would be if Target was back at the office and how much of a boost it would give to downtown," she said. "But a lot of people are a little apprehensive to talk about it on the record."
Target declined an interview on its future return to office plans, but a spokesperson pointed to a company announcement from April 2022, titled "How Target’s Reimagining the Future of Our Headquarters Work," which announced, "Most team members won’t be given a set amount of time they’re expected to be onsite vs. remote."
In a statement to KARE 11 on Friday, a spokesperson added, "Over the past few years, we've reimagined how we work at our headquarters, embracing a hybrid model that provides flexibility in how our teams collaborate and do their best work. Hybrid working is a strategic choice for us that we believe makes our HQ team stronger through empowerment, inclusivity and adaptability. With thousands of team members working regularly in our downtown headquarters and our continued investment in the surrounding community, we stand strong in our longstanding commitment to Minneapolis, which has been our home for more than 60 years."
Kelly says her own reporting found that, of the 10 largest downtown employers, Target and Hennepin County are the only two that will be without back-to-office mandates this fall.
For small businesses, like the Coconut Whisk Cafe located directly across from the downtown Target, seeing more regular foot traffic from the biggest employer would be a game changer.
"If Target was to come back, I think that would only help with getting downtown to feel more lively again," said Bella Lam, founder of Coconut Whisk. "It would be so beneficial."
In the meantime, many food trucks, like Young Man, which used to be a fixture downtown before the pandemic, may roll through less often.
"It's pretty different from 2018 and '19," said Yesi Agustina, co-owner of Young Man. "It usually would have 10, 15 or 20 food trucks, but right now, it's only two, three or five food trucks. It's not even busy."
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