Target Ethnographic Analysis Paper

Words: 1607
Pages: 7

Target is best known for selling quality items at affordable prices. It sells merchandise such as clothing, electronics, household items and more. Interestingly, the first Target store opened in Roseville, Minnesota in 1962! I decided to do my ethnography study at the Target in Dinkytown, near the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. The small, charming neighborhood attracts nearby college students and offers a variety of restaurants, small businesses, housing and so much more. There are about 31,788 residents with a median age of twenty-three and about 51.43% are males and 48.57% are females (U.S Census Bureau). 39% of them have attained a college certificate and 26% have a bachelor’s degree. My aim is to examine the impact of social class …show more content…
I’m dressed in black sweatpants and wearing a thick coat and gloves. It took about twenty-two minutes to walk from Frontier Hall to Target and the path was a bit harsh due to accumulated snow on the ground and it was pretty windy. The path had minimal obstructions and everyone I observed while walking was dressed up appropriately with thick sweaters and pants. The store is situated in a lively location with nearby restaurants like McDonalds, which can be convenient for those living nearby. I noticed that it had bold letters that read “Target Express” and it was on the ground floor of the Marshall apartment complex. I saw many people walking and few cars driving by since there is a four way stop sign which makes it safe for pedestrians trying to walk to the store. There is very little parking outside, so parking there would be inconvenient. The area is lit up nicely and I noticed there was only a single entrance and exit, which makes sense since it’s a miniature version of Target. Dinkytown is known for housing the majority of University of Minnesota students. Around 92% of people living there live in households without children and the average annual household income is $68,136 (U.S Census