By John McLoone

A big burst of life is blowing into the Hastings retail community, with news last week that Fleet Farm has purchased the vacant Target building at 875 General Sieben Drive.

The 126,000-squarefoot building has been vacant since Target shut down its Hastings store in 2017, citing the location as “underperforming.” The building was constructed in 1999.

Mayor Mary Fasbender is “excited that Fleet Farm has chosen Hastings. We look forward to continued economic growth.”

Fleet Farm plans to open in Hastings in Fall 2022.

Target formerly employed 94 people at the store.

Fleet Farm has stores in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa and North Dakota. The company’s corporate office is in Appleton, Wis. and its main distribution center is in Chippewa Falls, Wis. New stores opened this year in Sioux Falls, S.D., Cedar Falls and Cedar Rapids, Iowa; West Bend, Wis. and St. Cloud.

The Cedar Rapids store opening promised 200 new employees there.

“Fleet Farm looks to open stores in communities that share our values. A love for the outdoors, enjoying the changing seasons and spending time with family,” said Kelly Agler of Fleet Farm.

Fleet Farm was founded in 1955. Stores feature fishing, hunting and outdoor products, auto parts, farm and pet supplies, home improvement and household goods, clothing and footwear, toys and food. Many stores have services like gas stations, car washes and auto repairs. Fleet Farm has 45 stores across the Midwest Fleet Farm has been working with Hastings officials to prepare for the building’s renovation.

The big announcement came from Hastings Community Development Director John Hinzman, just hours after city officials were questioned at a Hastings Area Chamber of Commerce meeting about reports in the community that the building was being sold.

City Economic Development Coordinator Eric Maass said at that meeting that there had been a couple firms eyeing the building, but See FLEET FARM Page 3 one – Fleet Farm – was ready to finalize a deal.

Hastings Area Chamber of Commerce President Kristy Barse broached the subject.

“I do have a question for Eric. What’s happening at the Target building?” she asked.

City Administrator Dan Wietecha said, “It sounds like they’re expecting to close on the building imminently, like the next couple weeks. It’s my understanding it’s a retailer. It looks like they would not need to have any sort of zoning or city approvals. They could essentially just move in and not have any regulatory piece on the city side. We’re excited that the new user is somebody that would use up the entire facility. We think that’s great. It would be a good asset for the community.”

“That’s helpful,” answered Barse. “I know that you can’t say much, and I just think the community knowing that it is a retailer, and that they’re going to use the existing box is helpful information to kind of get people excited. That’s a big deal.

“That building sitting empty, and Target is a quality-of-life store. When people come into the community and see an empty box, it’s not the best representation of our community when we have so many cool things going on. It’ll be great to have that existing building reused, and I’m excited that it’s going to be a retailer.”