B次元官网网址淲hen do you suppose everything will go on sale?B次元官网网址� people gleefully asked when they heard of the imminent closure of one of CanadaB次元官网网址檚 big-box retailers, wringing their collective hands at the sound of words like B次元官网网址渓iquidation.B次元官网网址�

When retail giant Target announced its plan to expand into Greater Victoria, many thought it would provide much-needed competition for stores like Walmart and Superstore. We thought they would offer a range of affordable products and add options to our consumerism. We thought the American behemoth would bring with it the buying power B次元官网网址� and therefore discounts on goods B次元官网网址� they enjoy across the border in the U.S.

But it was not to be.

The general feeling out there is that Target took on too much, too fast. They overreached and wrongly assumed while delivering too little benefit to Canadians, who had lofty (some would say naive) expectations for the retailer to live up to. People expected to find here what they found when they went south to shop.

And now they have announced their departure, and the first thing the public thinks is, B次元官网网址淲hen does the blowout start?B次元官网网址�

We donB次元官网网址檛 blame people for thinking this way. We understand that everyoneB次元官网网址檚 budgets are tight in these tough economic times. But we also wish the publicB次元官网网址檚 thoughts would turn more quickly to those who will soon find themselves out of work, and the impact of TargetB次元官网网址檚 departure on others who, through no fault of their own, will take a financial hit due to the retailerB次元官网网址檚 failure here.

More than 17,000 Canadians are employed by Target, including a number of West Shore residents. The company has formed a trust to help those who will lose their jobs, but anyone who has ever lived with employment uncertainty will point out, thatB次元官网网址檚 little consolation right now.

An anonymous letter received recently by The Gazette from a Target employee said, B次元官网网址淢any of us donB次元官网网址檛 know where we will go after Target closes. We donB次元官网网址檛 know how weB次元官网网址檒l make ends meet. So in light of all the sales that will happen, please remember that the employees are people, too. We donB次元官网网址檛 want to be asked when the store officially closes or when the crazy sales will start. A kind wish of B次元官网网址榞ood luckB次元官网网址� will do.B次元官网网址�

So maybe next time you see a B次元官网网址淕oing Out Of BusinessB次元官网网址� sign, try to think about someone elseB次元官网网址檚 plight and have some empathy instead of rushing in to find out whatB次元官网网址檚 on sale, elbowing your way down the aisles.