WASILLA — When the doors to Target opened for an invitation-only shopping event Tuesday, those originally from the Lower 48 lapped up the chance to revisit a familiar shopping staple, while Alaskans unfamiliar with the chain wandered through a new retail landscape.

While the Wasilla store wasn’t officially open — that happened Wednesday during something called a “quiet opening” ahead of Sunday’s grand opening — invited guests soon crowded the aisles, cherry-picking from shelves.

With sparkling white, shiny floors and local Alaska goods sprinkled throughout the store, Target will provide the newest shopping destination in the rapidly growing Mat-Su Valley. Officials are expecting the store to be packed with customers for the first few weeks.

ROBERT DeBERRY/Frontiersman Shoppers browse the aisles at the new Target store in Wasilla Thursday afternoon. Target had a quiet opening Wednesday and will have its grand opening Sunday.

Target is known for “affordable chic” merchandise, as a pre-opening advertisement declares. And with its wide isles and products with top national designers’ names attached, Target seems to set a goal of being the antithesis to Wal-Mart. Like Wal-Mart, though, Target is the next in a line of national big box stores looking to realize the profit potential of the Valley’s growing population.

Wasilla city officials said the next test will determine whether Target creates new income through the city’s sales tax, or if money simply shifts from one retail option to another.

That’s yet to be seen, and the local Target’s top manger, Scott Hayes, confirmed a Sports Authority store will open next door to his, furthering competition in the area.

Couple that with claims from a private developer that Costco will open a store next to Sportsman’s Warehouse in 2009, and the tax base in Wasilla promises to be bolstered. Costco has yet to confirm that claim.

The area’s retail big picture wasn’t on the minds of shoppers and city officials Tuesday

Outgoing Wasilla Mayor Dianne M. Keller, shopping for the first time at the new Target, called the store “pretty cool.”

There were plenty who echoed that description.

As guests cruised the aisles with their new plastic shopping carts, caterers served food and drinks and local politicians and celebrities could also be found.

Iditarod racer Martin Buser checked out the snowshoes near the sporting goods, while Gov. Sarah Palin’s daughter Piper ran through the children’s clothing section.

In addition to its merchandise, Target has also provided hundreds of jobs for Mat-Su Valley residents.

“This is a great source of new jobs for people,” Wasilla City Councilwoman Dianne Woodruff said.

For Hayes, Target’s opening is a culmination of a long hiring process, construction phase and his own personal move from Seattle to run the store.

“I’m exuberant,” Hayes said. “Things went very well.”

He wasn’t the only one.

Besides smiling customers, a sea of red-shirt-clad employees with their own constant smiles were visible at every turn.

Jene Mayfield, who moved from Arizona to manage the store’s apparel division, said being in a fresh, new store surrounded by the Valley’s abundant natural beauty was the icing on the cake. Mayfield was busy Tuesday, corralling her employees and giving some last-minute coaching about their jobs in Target’s soft goods side.

Whereas some in the community might see Target as another big box store destined to run out more “mom and pop” businesses, Hayes pointed out the purely Alaska products sitting on shelves next to other products made in China and elsewhere.

Regardless of whether residents will love or hate Target, it is expected the store’s employees will be busy until the novelty wears off.

“We’re sure we’ll see a bump this month like at our other store,” Hayes said, referring to the Anchorage Target.

Contact Michael Rovito at michael.rovito@frontiersman.com.