Target Begins Rolling Out Apple Watch To U.S. Stores This Week

This morning, Target announced that it’s rolling out the Apple Watch to some of its stores this week, with all U.S. stores getting it October 25. This marks the second big chain after Best Buy to get the device. Apple Watch will roll out to Target.com on October 18.

Target says it will carry 20 models in both 38mm and 42mm sizes. It notes that it will carry at least the Space Gray and Rose Gold colors, though we assume it will also carry others. The announcement mentions a price of $599, so it’s likely they’ll have steel models with Sport Bands as well (no mention of Editions, so that’s unlikely). It will be interesting to see what the try-on experience (if any) is like at a Target.

Apple’s sales tactics on the Apple Watch have differed significantly from its other products, which is befitting the very different nature of a wearable. A handful of outside fashion stores and boutiques, for instance, have been carrying the Edition from day one. Target, a.k.a. Ron Johnson’s Miracle, a.k.a. where I buy detergent and bananas when we don’t want to go to two different stores, is a big retailer. It’s also very solidly mid-market, on the downward sloping bit.

This larger and more budget-conscious retailer should be carrying the Apple Watch in plenty of time for the holiday shopping season. The aluminum devices would make for somewhat hefty, but not bank-breaking, Christmas gifts for teens this winter.

A previous version of this article said the U.S. rollout would begin October 18, it begins this week.