Target Drive Up service comes to Western Pa. stores

Shopping at Target in Western Pennsylvania got easier this month after the retail chain rolled out its Drive Up service to 18 area stores, including ones in Harmar and Hempfield.

Among other Target locations in Western Pennsylvania with Drive Up are stores in East Liberty, Monroeville, North Huntingdon, North Fayette, Ross, Butler and Cranberry.

The free service allows customers to place orders in the Target app and pick up items from the store without having to get out of their car. Orders are often ready for pickup within an hour.

Once notified that their order is ready, customers can let the store know they’re on their way, drive to the store and park in a designated parking spot. An employee will then bring the order out to their car.

“You can place an order for whatever you’re looking for as long as the item is available in the Target app and says it’s eligible for Drive Up pick-up,” said Jill Lewis, Target spokeswoman. “Lots of times it’s people picking up baby items, snacks, electronics, home goods. One thing that is not available though are perishable groceries.”

Drive Up is available at more than 1,550 stores. The Minneapolis-based company has 1,850 locations nationwide.

“We see many types of guests come and use it, particularly people with young kids who may want to come and do their Target run but don’t want to take a sleeping kid out of the car or deal with getting kids in and out of car seats,” Lewis said. “It could be that you have some bad weather that day and don’t want to get in or out of the car, or maybe a guest who can’t move around the store quite as easily. Really, we see it for all types of guests, especially if you’re busy running errands and just want to pop by the store quickly. It’s great for that, as well.”

Target launched a pilot of Drive Up in Minneapolis in the fall of 2017 and began introducing it to stores across the country in 2018. It was added to the Western Pennsylvania stores this month.

The company expects to have it in most of its stores by the end of the year.

“We’re really working to introduce the service to the majority of our stores,” Lewis said. “(We’re) excited to be able to bring it to the Western Pennsylvania area.”