Hundreds of Target workers return to downtown Minneapolis as a new return to the office policy kicks in.
The influx of workers is expected to boost foot traffic and revenue for local businesses like restaurants and retailers. Target, along with Hennepin Healthcare, is the largest employer in downtown.
Ana Castillo Jimenez owns Anna's Apothecary, which just opened recently in the Skyway downtown.
"Some folks already stopped by, they're saying that they're coming from their Target meeting here, so it's awesome to watch the foot traffic start to pick up," says Jimenez. "They said they're going to be here Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursdays, primarily."
Minneapolis Downtown Council President Adam Duininck is optimistic about the change, but says there's still a lot more work to do.
"Right now Minneapolis is not being talked about as a future market, as a place that, you know, is getting ahead of the curve," Duininck said. "It's one that's trying to play catch-up, and so what is that? From an economic development tools standpoint, from a city policy standpoint, from the business community. What vision we rally around."
The new policy from Target requires their employees to return to its downtown Minneapolis headquarters three days a week after most worked from home with fully hybrid work-from-home opportunities. Not all Target employees are required to be at the office however.
Just last week, the company announced buyers, planners and supply chain managers assigned to Target Corporation headquarters in downtown Minneapolis would need to be back in the office, with employees able to set their own schedules and choose which three days of the week they'll be in-office.
Several downtown retailers WCCO spoke with are waiting - and hopeful - to see if more companies will require their employees to return to the office.
"I really do think we're gonna go back to old school times before COVID, of how busy this guy always used to be," says Paige Silber who owns Silber Jewelry in the Gaviidae Commons. "I think that people also have a little bit of hope in their hearts for Minneapolis to come back and recover. So they really want to support local businesses."
As more companies consider stricter in-office policies, this shift could signal a new era for the city's downtown core.
On Tuesday, Target hosted their annual company meeting at Target Center adding to what is a relative crush of workers downtown.
Another Minnesota corporate giant, 3M, will require employees worldwide to be in the office four days a week. 3M management is saying they are building upon the momentum of the company's flexible "collaboration days" policy which started last year.