Manchester’s Spinningfields has a new addition – a Target Darts pop-up shop that looks more like a sleek tungsten boutique than a temporary store. Its grand opening was marked by a ceremony attended by some of the sport’s biggest names.
And who better to cut the ribbon than the GOAT himself, Phil Taylor? The result: a shop that feels like a playground for every darts-obsessed kid – and, let’s be honest, plenty of adults too. Out goes the old Oasis souvenir store that used to drain fans’ wallets, and in comes Target, taking over in true style.
At the centre of it all was Managing Director Garry Plummer – or, as the faithful prefer, Mr Target. He spoke to Online Darts with the kind of pride usually reserved for doting parents at a school nativity play:
“No way did I think it was going to be like this,” he admitted. “The boys told me, ‘Look, we’re going to do a pop-up shop.’ And I’m thinking, a little shop, cram some gear in, sell a few bits, that’ll be great. Then they sent me a picture of the sign going up outside and I thought, ‘Oh my god, this is massive.’ It’s absolutely thrilling. Brilliant job.”
Apparently, when Target does small, it means cramming half of the darts universe into one place. Plummer beamed about the whole experience: “Really proud. Proud of my players, proud of the team. They all enjoy it, they all come here and get on well with each other, and they have a great time. It’s always fun.”
Of course, no Target launch would be complete without the jaw-dropping price tag product. Enter the Elysian Archetype 43: a 95% tungsten steel-tip set that’ll lighten your wallet by £599.95. For that money, you’d expect it to double as a screwdriver – and funnily enough, some people thought that’s exactly what it looked like:
Plummer added: “It was over for the main line, then they came up with Archetype. And you ask, what are we going to do next? We’ve got to have something. We’ve got to keep leading, keep showing people what we’re about. It’s about the future, and that’s been really exciting. People said, ‘You’ve brought out a screwdriver.’ At first I thought, really? But it’s about how it’s made. What’s the technology? What can we take from that into the next generation of darts? That’s what it’s all about.”
Screwdrivers or not, Target has long been known for game-changing gimmicks – sorry, innovations – like Pixel Grip, Swiss Point and various barrel designs that players can’t seem to live without. And as for limits? Forget it declared Plummer:
“I don’t think there is a ceiling. As much as we can come up with and dream about, we can create. We’re creating dreams through different designs, different manufacturing techniques. We’re constantly investing. Our factory in China is 200,000 square feet with the latest technology. We’re always bringing new tech into that factory, and it feeds directly into the darts.”
Even dartboards haven’t escaped the Target treatment. After several swings and misses in the past, Plummer finally thinks they’ve cracked it:
“Really proud. My team in China spent a lot of time getting it right. We needed to compete, and now we can. It’s got Madagascan sisal in it, it’s been properly tested. We did a big 24-hour charity day on it, never rotated the board, threw thousands of darts, and it stood up brilliantly. It’s a great board, looks fantastic, and performs too. That’s the dream.”
Asked if we will one day see it on a PDC stage?
“I think it will happen,” Plummer replied. “But you know what I love? I watch online and see people using it in their homes. They can rotate it, it looks good on camera, and it performs every time. That’s been a big success. It’s very usable.”
Of course, it’s not just about products – it’s about people. With Luke Littler hoovering up trophies like Pokémon cards and Josh Rock dazzling crowds, Target has quite the roster:
“Luke’s been amazing. He just keeps winning. But you’ve also got Josh, who’s been playing brilliantly, Stephen Bunting too. All the players are going well. Josh especially has come on massively. That match against Luke at the Matchplay was incredible. Thrilling to watch those two boys go at it. I really hope Josh makes the Premier League, seeing him every week out there would be great.”
On Rock’s chances, Plummer didn’t hedge his bets: “He’s in my eight. As long as he keeps playing the way he is at the back end of this year, why wouldn’t you? He’s ticked every box. Such a good watch, plays with his heart on his sleeve, thrilling to watch. The contrast between him and Luke when they play is brilliant.”
And while Plummer is clearly proud of his players, he’s also still a fanboy at heart. Asked about Michael van Gerwen, he beamed: “Of course. We all want Michael back playing well. We want all the top players at their best. He’s been through some tough times, and I’ve spoken to him through them. But he’s shown the quality he’s got by coming out the other side. Let’s see what he does now.”
Summing up, Mr Target offered one last flourish of optimism: “We’re creating dreams. As much as we can dream about, we can make. There is simply no ceiling.”
Dreams, screwdrivers, £600 darts and all – it’s business as usual at Target.
—–ENDS—–
Images: Target
