A new Target opens in Oak Cliff. But what about that boycott?

More than a year after a nationwide boycott, a new Target three years in the making has opened in Oak Cliff. But are we still boycotting the big-box retailer? 

The Target at Wynnewood Village, a shopping center and area of Dallas that’s home to a majority Black and Latino population, is located in a food desert—an area with limited access to affordable, nutritious, and/or fresh food. Before Sprouts opened nearby last summer, grocery choices were limited, and the quality of food was inconsistent. The nearest Target was 7 miles away, Walmart 4.5 miles, Trader Joe’s 10 miles, Whole Foods 7 miles. An H-E-B? That’d take you 30 minutes, though a 7-mile drive can get you to Joe V’s, H-E-B’s little brother. 

So in a place where convenience can make a real difference in people’s day-to-day lives, this new Target could fill a gap. But it’s opening against the backdrop of a boycott that, for some shoppers, hasn’t ended.

In January 2025, three days after President Trump’s inauguration, Target announced it would be scaling back its diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. 

Many of those programs had been set in response to the murder of George Floyd in Target’s hometown of Minneapolis in 2020, and the national racial reckoning that followed. 

The rollbacks included the end of Target’s participation in diversity-focused surveys, career development goals, and HBCU scholarship initiatives. After decades of being early leaders in the equity and diversity space (it was one of the first major companies to welcome transgender folks into whatever bathroom or fitting room matched their gender identity), many loyal Target shoppers felt betrayed.  

Boycotting Target became a movement, as consumers put pressure on the company to reinstate its equity policies. Many took to social media to say they would no longer be shopping at their once favorite store. Then a prominent Black pastor in Atlanta, Jamal Bryant, suggested his congregation abstain from shopping at Target for Lent. But his message was heard across the country, and Black Americans (and others) stopped supporting the business, too. 

The boycott stood firm for a year, and Target lost money. Target’s stock plummeted by more than 30%, and the company saw a $20 billion loss. 

Protestors made a point to support companies who still valued DEI—Costco being one of them. The bulk retailer’s store traffic increased by 7.7 million visits during the first couple of months of the boycott. 

After a year, Bryant announced the boycott was over, saying he’d been in contact with the company and suggested there had been progress. 

But Target hasn’t reversed its DEI policy changes and told USA Today this week that it does not plan to. 

For many shoppers, particularly Black women, the boycott isn’t over. For some, it may never be. After last year’s decline, and the fact that Black women have disproportionately high buying power in the beauty and fashion space—an area Target has really focused on in recent years—the damage might be more significant than you think. 

Which brings us back to Oak Cliff. Residents here have to navigate what’s more important to them: access to affordable home and grocery items or supporting a corporation with values that may not align with their best interests.

The Oak Cliff Target is slightly smaller than your average Target, but still offers the typical selection, including a Starbucks. (Joi Louviere/ Courier DFW)

I went on social media app NextDoor and asked area residents what they think. Here’s what they said. 

“[I’m] conflicted because all my life living here we’ve waiting for something like this closer in Wynnewood?? Who would [have] ever thought right now. Their firm stance on their DEl policies just makes me sad, honestly.”

“All those shops are bringing the community together, and I believe the ones that are coming together are those free of hate, or that do not disqualify anyone or anybody for not being just one color. Respect to be respected. Progress is always welcome. More jobs. Don’t spoil the moment with DEI policies.”

“They can keep it. I won’t spend my money there.”

“It’s been over a year since I shopped there.”

“They are open when a lot or stores don’t give a dang about doing busines in our area, same for the Wheatland store. Actions speaks louder than political media. I would prefer to know how the people working there feel they are treated at these locations…”

“I think it’s disrespectful.”

“There’s so many companies that dissolved their DEl programs. Why is Target the only one getting the most outrage? I haven’t heard any employees complain, so why are we?”

“They can open where they choose. However, we don’t have to shop there and give them our money. That speaks louder than any words or protests.”

What do you think? Would you give up convenience to make a statement? How much do a company’s values factor into where you shop? Drop me an email to let me know.