After years of anticipation, Target is coming to Santa Barbara.

Sort of.

The company said it plans to open a 34,000-square-foot, small-format store in the Galleria, at the intersection of State Street and La Cumbre Road, in October of 2018.

Target has signed a lease with Gryphon Capital for the Galleria store, which will offer residents and visitors a quick-trip shopping experience.

“We are thrilled to be joining the Santa Barbara community in 2018, and look forward to providing guests with a convenient shopping experience that is uniquely Target,” said Mark Schindele, a Target senior vice president, in a statement.

“Our Galleria store will offer residents and visitors the ease and inspiration of a curated assortment of home goods, apparel and more, as well as a pick-up point for online orders.”

The store is expected to employ 50 to 70 people.

Santa Barbara Mayor Helene Schneider said people have asked her when a Target was going to open in Santa Barbara throughout her 14 years on the council and as mayor.

“One of the first major things I set out to do was bring a Target to Santa Barbara,” Schneider told Noozhawk. “We’re excited.”

Schneider said the spot “fits Santa Barbara” and exemplifies one of the new ways that people shop retail in a smaller, urban setting.

She also said that many people will benefit from the store, and it could attract shoppers to nearby La Cumbre Plaza. 

“Parents with young kids getting ready for back-to-school, this is a big deal,” Schneider said.

When asked if she will shop at Target, she said, “Why not?”

Target’s small-format stores are tailored to meet the needs of local residents, and the company is on track to operate 130 small-format stores by the end of 2019, serving communities and neighborhoods where a traditional-sized Target store may not fit, according to a news release.

“We are building on the success of our longstanding partnership with Target with the Santa Barbara Galleria store,” said Chris Shane, managing partner of Gryphon Capital, LLC.

“The Galleria is a great fit for Target and our customers, who will benefit from a unique and convenient shopping experience.”

While the planned Target is not the full-scale version, it will likely soothe the desires of shoppers who have clamored for the store for more than a decade.

The closest Target stores to Santa Barbara are in Ventura, Oxnard and Santa Maria. 

In the early 2000s, Santa Barbara was cold to a Target on city-owned airport property because the liberal City Council majority at the time viewed it as a “low-paying retailer” that was not unionized.

Efforts to build a Target in Goleta also fizzled, with Target pulling out because of high impact fees proposed prior to approval.

In October 2017, Target announced plans to raise its minimum hourly wage to $11, which is now the California minimum wage, along with a commitment to increasing the minimum hourly wage to $15 by the end of 2020.

In a statement, Target said the Santa Barbara store will include:

» A grocery selection with a focus on wellness offerings, including fresh produce, grab-and-go items, snacks and meal solutions.

» An adult beverage selection, including beer and wine.

» A curated assortment of home décor and accessories.

» A broad beauty assortment presented in a boutique-style setting.

» Apparel and accessories for men, women and kids, including offerings from new Target-exclusive brands A New Day and Goodfellow & Co.

» Portable technology products and entertainment accessories.

» A selection of toys and sporting goods.

» Services will include a CVS pharmacy and order pickup.

— Noozhawk staff writer Joshua Molina can be reached at jmolina@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.