Recent comments from Retail Wire about Target’s plan to buy the Smith & Hawken garden supply/decor brand and take it “exclusive”…sounds like a smart idea to me:
Smith & Hawken had a very limited bricks & mortar footprint (only 56 stores) so its brand equity is unlikely to be damaged by the store closings. Most consumers familiar with the brand know it from its catalog and online business, even though its web presence is currently “in limbo.” This is far different from the attempt to revive a brand like Linens ‘n Things, with its massive national presence.
In short, this has the potential to become a good marriage between Target and a now-exclusive brand with an upscale image. It’s also encouraging to see Target make a move consistent with its core competency of design-friendly home decor, instead of most of the recent tactical emphasis on low-priced commodities and consumables.
Retailing In Focus 
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