No way, no how.
That’s what some Obecians are saying, unequivocally, to the prospect of a Target Express coming into their beach community.
In what could be the end of the antique mall era in OB, the Target Corp. is negotiating to acquire the 18,000-square-foot Antique Center building in the 4800 block of Newport Avenue.
A Target Express is a downsized version of the original Target store introduced by the chain across the country in a variety of sizes and assortments. The new store model is meant to create a more locally relevant big-box experience in urban areas.
Commercial Realtor Tony Franco of The Franco Realty Group in Pacific Beach, who has been brokering the Target deal, said he couldn’t comment other than to say, “Target is doing their due diligence by responsibly reaching out to the local community and asking for input. If the public wants to submit an offer, they can send it to [email protected].”
From his survey of other commercial landlords in the area, Franco said: “They are all 100 percent on board with the potential of the Target transaction. However, most locals are scared to come forward and admit they are for Target moving forward. Many of the elderly property owners especially in the area, are very excited about Target moving in.”
Sentiment has also been expressed, by others, that vehement public opposition to the new Target has constituted “piling on.”
Gretchen Newsom, Ocean Beach Town Council president, said that simply isn’t the case.
“We invited Target into our community to see what they wanted to do, answer how a new Target might benefit the community,” Newsom said. “It was an open community forum.”
Newsom said the overriding community sentiment about Target came across at the public forums.
“Our community, our merchants our culture, those who responded on Facebook, social media and our website, the sentiment is loud and clear — people are opposed to Target coming in,” she said.
Architect John Ambert, chair of Ocean Beach Community Planning Board, speaking as a citizen, commented, “Long story short: Target executives and the building owners, Craig and Scott, are all bullying this project forward against the general will of the community and surrounding small-business owners. Besides purchasing the building or some random act of nature, there is really nothing our community can do about it. It is extremely frustrating and truly disappointing that is has come down to this.”
Ambert said he believes that “the only viable solution moving forward that I can see is the citizens of Ocean Beach working to craft a ‘community rooted enterprise’ investment model that pulls together $6.5 million to purchase the building.” 
If not a Target, what would Obecians prefer go into the old antique mall space on Newport Avenue?
“The whole gamut, everything from bowling alleys (site once was one), a new location for the library, a health and welfare center, a multitude of different ideas, rather than the second-largest retailer in the nation in our community,” Newsom said.
Meanwhile, Brian Fitzgerald has started a petition drive on change.org at www.change.org/p/residents-of-ocean-beach-keep-target-out-of-ocean-beach, opposing Target’s entrance into the OB market, which to date has netted 2,000-plus supporters.
Even the James Gang Co. printers in OB have been recruited by the opposition to come up with a “No Target in OB” T-shirt. No OB Target tees cost $10 and are available at the James Gang printers at 1931 Bacon St. or at the James Gang’s booth during the Ocean Beach Farmers Market.
Newsom said the OB Town Council board of directors will likely take up the matter of considering a position of support — or opposition — on the proposed Target at their next board meeting in closed session Sept. 12. 
Newsom added the community has vented enough already on the OB Target, and that OBTC will likely be moving on to other topics come September as well.
The Peninsula Beacon reached out to District 2 Councilmember Lorie Zapf’s office about the issue. She is looking into it and has yet to take a position on Target Express in Ocean Beach.