Kayla Johns, right, and Jennifer Breton leave Target in Auburn on Wednesday morning with their foster son, Howard Bridges, after shopping at the new store on Center Street. “We are from Randolph and usually shop at the Augusta Target but wanted to check this one out,” Breton said. ” I just love the wide aisles, newness of everything and the backlit snacks at the checkout are cool.” Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal

AUBURN — Nearly two years after retail giant Target first confirmed it was opening a new store in the area, it is officially open for business at 603 Center St.

No big splash, no media event, the doors quietly opened to some special guests at 5 p.m. Tuesday, including Auburn Mayor Jason Levesque, who posted photos of his visit Tuesday night to social media.

The 105,000-square-foot store, formerly a Kmart, is the sixth one in Maine. The others are in Augusta, Bangor, Biddeford, South Portland and Topsham.

In an email announcing the Nov. 6 grand opening, the company said it hired about 250 employees to staff its daily operations. The store offers groceries, a CVS pharmacy and a Starbucks cafe. Hours are 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday.

Target is seen as a welcome alternative for consumers in the Lewiston-Auburn area, with its main competitors being Walmart and BJ’s Wholesale club, which requires a membership.

Kmart closed its store in the fall of 2019 and a number of potential new lessees emerged, including U-Haul.

Target began renovating the building in July 2021, work that was projected to cost just under $10 million. The opening was delayed until this year with no explanation offered by the company.

Target has nearly 2,000 stores nationwide and said it planned to open 30 this year.