Staying on target with health and fitness is now much easier

Carly Travis, Opinions Editor

When I think of Target, a few things come to mind: discounted, crunchy soy-nut butter; a plethora of smelly laundry detergents; electronics that all (pretty much) do the same thing as my iPhone; the pajama section.

What doesn’t come to mind is health and fitness.

As someone who is obsessed with all things wellness related, I find it worthwhile to keep up to date on the latest trends. I may not try everything (oil pulling sounds unnecessary and, sorry, a vegan diet is out of the question), but I do like to be in the know.

If you’ve gone into Target and wondered where all the cash-register-adjacent Pizza Hut’s went, you’ll find they’ve been replaced with Freshii.

I heard about Freshii two years ago, that it was “like a healthy fast-food place” and that they’re “popping up everywhere.” An overview of the franchise looks like this: to provide fresh and nutrient dense meals that energize people on the go. Combine that with clean Ikea furnishings, bright green flora covering the walls, and impeccable marketing, and you have a new health-food spot that doesn’t cost as much as Whole Foods. Side note: quinoa, which most of their meals consist of, makes me a bit queasy, hence, I still prefer Whole Foods.

Target, who may or may not like quinoa, does like Freshii. So far, the health giant has only taken over Pizza Hut’s corner in Illinois, but I have a feeling the trend will persist. Eating healthy, in any capacity, most Americans’ minds. The fact that Target is making it so readily available is a step in the right direction.

But the Fortune 500 company won’t stop there. Over the last several years, consumers have seen an amazing shift in the fashion world.

Designers have ditched their sartorial docks in New York, London, Italy, and Paris to temporarily make the rather smooth transition into stores like H&M, JCPenny, Macy’s, and Target to name a few. Clothing is usually the focus (see H&M and Balmain, JCPenny and Charlotte Ronson, Macy’s and Giambattista Valli) but Target has also broken the boundaries for home goods, collaborating with interior decorator and T.V. personality Nate Berkus.

Target, or Tar-JAY as some people prefer (or is it Targé?), recently announced their collaboration with SoulCycle, an indoor cycling studio with locations across the country.

The spin studio’s emphasis is on burning calories and having fun and Target hopped on their saddle, literally. Not only do you get a great cardio burn, you can also look cute while doing it, and, because Target loves a collaboration, it wouldn’t stop until it reaches all corners of fashion, including fit-fashion.

Unlike the Lily Pulitzer collaboration that had Winnetka moms crazed, SoulCycle and Target are teaming up to sell you an “experience.” They’re doing this by not only selling you the sweatpants but also the class to sweat them out in. Yes, select Target locations will actually be hosting fitness classes.

In the grand scheme of things, the concept is bizarre. The place we buy toothpaste…as a gym? However, it’s not just a gym they’re marketing, it’s a lifestyle.

The big-house brand is tapping into everyday consumers’ busy lives and telling them, “an active lifestyle is for you and now you have no excuse.”

Target, along with SoulCycle and Freshii, are capitalizing on affordable, fast fitness and fashion (did anyone else see dollar signs when they read this?). They’re taking a brand that used to be exclusive and making it available to everyone, a concept I’ll stand by.