The grand opening for the new Metro-Target located in Carolina Square on Franklin Street is scheduled for this Sunday at 8 a.m. Complimentary reusable shopping bags will be handed out to the first 1,000 customers.
The grand opening follows a ribbon cutting ceremony on Tuesday, which is not open to the public, and a soft opening on Wednesday.
The layout of the new Metro-Target offers a more downtown-focused design than a Super Target. Chapel Hill mayor Pam Hemminger spoke on this.
“They actually have a pickup window too,” Hemminger said. “You can order online and walk over and pick up whatever you need. But they have grocery options. And it fits into a building like Carolina Square versus being the normal strip mall-kind of look. It’s a very different kind of model.”
Metro-Targets have become popular in downtown settings across the country. A Raleigh location is set to open near N.C. State on Hillsborough St. in October.
The new Carolina Square development also includes 246 apartment units and nearly 160,000 square feet of office space. A $5 million performing arts space courtesy of a partnership with UNC will occupy the space as well.
“Franklin Street has always been the place where Carolina, the university, meets the world,” UNC Chancellor Carol Folt said at the groundbreaking ceremony in October. “It’s a place where we welcome it in.”
Pieology, a made-to-order pizza restaurant, and b.good, a farm-to-table fast-food chain, will also occupy space in Carolina Square. They are set to open this summer.
Related Stories
‹
![]()
Metro-Target to Carolina Square No Longer RumorsThe rumors of a metro-Target coming to downtown Chapel Hill appear to be nearing a reality. Northwood Ravin’s Jeff Furman teased the crowd that was filling the room at the Franklin Hotel for the Friends of the Downtown monthly meeting on Thursday with more clues about the urban market set to occupy a major portion […]
![]()
Rumors of Target to Downtown Chapel Hill Still Just Rumors...For NowThe possibility of a Target coming to downtown Chapel Hill is still just that, a possibility, for now. “We are very, very hopeful – and I can’t confirm or deny the rumor about the business coming there yet, we’re still hopeful we can announce that soon,” Chapel Hill Mayor Pam Hemminger said at the WCHL […]
![]()
The Morning News: Mark Chilton Retiring, UNC ReturningIn today's news: longtime Orange County Register of Deeds Mark Chilton announces he's stepping down, a few months before the end of his term.

Merritt's Grill Opening Second Location in Chapel Hill; Einstein Bros. Bagels Opening FirstMerritt’s Grill, whose BLT sandwiches have been a staple of the Chapel Hill culinary scene since the restaurant opened in 1992, is opening a second location at Finley Golf Club. The restaurant will provide dine-in, to-go and catering services inside the newly refurbished Finley clubhouse and will be open to both players and non-players. An […]
![]()
The Morning News: Legion Road, ArtsOrange, Jason Johnson, Bill BelichickIn today's news: Chapel Hill provides an update on the future of its 36-acre property on Legion Road, with a pond slated for removal.

PlayMakers' Summer Youth Conservatory Celebrates 20 Years with Run of 'Hello, Dolly!'This year marks 20 years of Chapel Hill’s Summer Youth Conservatory, offered through PlayMakers Repertory Company.

Carolina Performing Arts Unveils Multi-Day Performance Festival for 'Campus and Downtown'The Carolina Performing Arts festival, called “All. Together. Now.”, is set to debut Feb. 18-21, 2027 and take place every year.

UNC Reports More Than $17 Million in Direct Economic Impact from Savannah Bananas VisitAccording to a release from UNC, the recent visit from the Savannah Bananas to Chapel Hill generated an estimated $17.1 million.

A Place to Connect and Heal: UNC Holds Annual Community Walk for Suicide PreventionOn Saturday, community members and college students alike met on UNC’s campus for a mile-long walk to destigmatize suicide prevention.

'Together is The Only Path Forward': Orange County's Habitat for Humanity Hosts Affordable Housing SummitAmid a shortage of affordable housing – both locally and nationally – the Orange County chapter of Habitat for Humanity recently held a summit to discuss how leaders can collectively aim to better address the issue.
›