Exclusive: Inside and All Around the Nation's Very First CityTarget, Right Here on State Street

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• Checkout lanes
• Bullseye the Bull Terrier and Chicago Deputy Mayor Mark Angelson
• Bullseye! Good boy.
• Bullseye greets the new staff
• Cutting the ribbon
• The new Chicago section
• Chicago Viewmaster slides! (yes, they also sell Viewmasters)
• The dollar spot. Can't do without that.
• Original columns stripped back to their original white
• Beauty
• Double-decker small cart, or the classic original. Your choice.
• Pret A Manger
• Fresh food
• The cafe area of the Pret A Manger
• Cart and normal escalator
• Men's department
• Made of over 3,000 legos!
• Electronics
• BEER. COLD BEER.
• One banana two.
• Dairy, anyone?
• WINES.
• ICE CREAM.
• Paper products as far as the eye can see

This is the moment the Loop has been waiting for?the moment the old Carson Pirie Scott department store debuts its new life...as the nation's very first CityTarget and the first Target inside a US historic landmark.

Though CityTarget officially opens tomorrow morning, we were able to peek inside today as Chicago's Deputy Mayor Mark Angelson and bull terrier mascot dog Bullseye proclaimed the store "a great sign of progress for downtown Chicago." The ribbon was cut, CityTarget's freshly khakied staff got to pet Bullseye, and we set off to get a feel for this two-story "urban retail experience," one that'll set the tone for future CityTarget openings in LA, Seattle, San Francisco and Portland, OR over the next two years.

First, let us answer the obvious question: yes, they sell beer. This CityTarget has snagged itself a liquor license, and a stroll down the massive booze aisle confirms that it's about to fulfill the dreams of thirsty tourists, Loop-dwellers and office workers. There are wines, wine coolers, hard liquors, mixers and beer?of which a good amount is local.

Banish any thoughts that this will be a small store, just because it's named "CityTarget" and located right in the Loop. At around 100,000-square-feet, it's only 30,000-square-feet below the size of an average regular Target. There's no massive BBQ grills up in here, nosiree, but there are the expansive home decor and fashion sections, plus much focus on trendier fashion with generous plus-size women's and men's sections, and the introduction of mannequins?a first for Target!

For quick get-in-get-out shopping situations, know this:

· The first floor is aimed at "immediate needs," including Chicago-themed goods, greeting cards/office products, a Pharmacy, workout wear, beauty and body care, and?another first for Target?a Pret A Manger Cafe. (Fun fact: Pret A Manger donates all unpurchased food from each day to a local charity or the Food Bank, so it's always fresh).

· The second floor is everything else, namely the departments for fashion, home, groceries, toys, and so on and so forth. Were it not for the wide windows looking out to State Street and the clean signage, you can almost imagine you're actually out in a suburban Target in Anytown, USA. But then you spot a seasonal Goose Island beer on the shelf and the exciting reality sets in.

The party's only just getting started for this store, and though Bullseye likely won't be around to help you pick between dog bones for your own pooch, CityTarget will open this week with a slew of features all other Targets currently do not have. Stay tuned for more from inside Opening Day, tomorrow!
· All previous CityTarget coverage [Racked Chicago]