Toyota Takes Over Target Location at Square One

 

Toyota is launching a pilot project on the second level of the former Target location at Square One and it officially opens on March 5 and runs until May 31.

The pilot is called Towards Tomorrow by Toyota and it's an interactive gallery that will feature Toyota's newest selection of vehicles, including the RAV4 Hybrid, Scion iM, Prius and Prius c. 

The pilot will include digital art, painting stations and virtual reality simulators - a different and more interactive consumer experience geared towards millennials. 

This non-traditional dealership is an unconventional method to generate brand awareness and engage with consumers in a different format. 

"Clearly, our customers today are well-educated, using the web and have a greater idea of what they want. They certainly still want to see the vehicle, drive the vehicle and touch the vehicle to make sure it fits. But they want to do that in a pressure-free, non-traditional retail environment," says Cyril Dimitris, VP of Sales, in a recent Canadian Auto World article. 

While this isn't the first time an auto OEM has branched out from traditional dealership models, it is a first for Toyota’s Towards Tomorrow pilot at Square One. Tesla Motors successfully launched its first Canadian dealership at Yorkdale mall about three years ago.

The pilot is currently slated as a temporary project at Square One but perhaps there's a possibility of it becoming permanent since Dimitris notes the factory has already heard from dealers that have interest in running something similar in other markets.

Square One South Expansion Opens With New Stores

The highly anticipated luxury southern wing at Square One in Mississauga finally opens today! The multi-million dollar makeover includes top luxury brands in a 130,000 sq. ft. space. Read more