Kern County, California – Target is getting ready to expand its footprint in California by opening two new large-format stores in Kern County on March 15, 2026. The outlets in Bakersfield and Delano are part of a larger spring launch that includes seven new stores in different states.
This demonstrates that the company continues to invest in physical retail along with digital fulfillment. Plans for more than 30 openings this year and more than 300 nationwide by 2035 show that the company is focused on expanding rather than decreasing.
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The Kern County stores are each about 148,000 square feet, which is a lot bigger than the company’s usual size of about 125,000 square feet. The bigger store has more products, modern features, and better services that make it easier to buy in person or pick up an order online.
This approach fits with Target’s “store-as-hub” philosophy, which focuses on making things easy by offering options like Drive Up, Order Pickup, and same-day delivery. The two locations are expected to be open every day from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Target store in Bakersfield
The new store in Bakersfield is at 6301 Gosford Road, which is near the intersection of Panama Lane and Gosford Road in the city’s southwest. The opening will be the fifth Target in Bakersfield, which is a sign of how the city’s retail scene has changed due to population expansion and new housing developments nearby.
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The store has about 16,000 square feet of space inside for fresh products, like fruits and vegetables, meat, and dairy. In addition to the CVS Pharmacy, Starbucks café, Ulta Beauty section, and branded areas with Apple and Disney products, the store also has other things to offer. Hiring is already going on, and the location is expected to provide more than 200 employment.
Target store in Delano
The store at 321 Woollomes Avenue near Albany Street in Delano is the retailer’s first location in the city. Like its Bakersfield counterpart, the Delano location mirrors the larger format and expanded grocery focus, along with the same mix of pharmacy, café, beauty, and specialty brand departments.
Drive Up, Order Pickup, and Target Circle 360 delivery are just some of the convenience features that will be available in Bakersfield. The store is also expected to hire more than 200 people, which will be a big boost to job possibilities in the area.
Residents in Kern County have spoken about how the openings will affect the economy and everyday life. Residents of Delano have been looking forward to the arrival of a major big-box store for a long time, and the new store should make it less necessary to go to nearby cities to do everyday shopping. The two places might create more than 400 employments in the area and make it easier for people to buy groceries, household items, and retail services.
The Kern County launches are part of a larger group of spring openings in cities like Jersey City and West Orange, New Jersey; Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina; Springfield, Missouri; and Oak Cliff, Texas.
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Adrienne Costanzo, Target’s chief stores officer, says that the company sees additional shops as a chance to better serve communities and give staff access to new technologies and surroundings that help them work more efficiently and make shopping more fun.
California remains at the center of that strategy. The state has more than 320 Target stores, which is the most of any state in the company’s portfolio. This shows that consumers continue to trust the market, even though several stores have closed in the past due to theft or performance issues.