Target Corporation is an American retail corporation that operates a chain of discount department stores and hypermarkets, headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is the seventh-largest retailer in the United States, and a component of the S&P 500 Index. The company is one of the largest American-owned private employers in the United States. The corporation was founded in Minneapolis by businessman George Dayton in 1902, and developed through the years via expansion and acquisitions. Target, the company's first discount store and eventual namesake, was opened in 1962. The company became the Dayton-Hudson Corporation after merging with the J.L. Hudson Company in 1969 and formerly held ownership of several department store chains including Dayton's, Hudson's, Marshall Field's, and Mervyn's. The parent company was renamed the Target Corporation in 2000. Despite the identical logo, name and similar type of outlets, Target Corporation is not affiliated with Target Australia. Target is notable for its focus on upscale, trend-forward merchandise at lower costs. Wikipedia