If you've ever walked into a Target, you've probably noticed the enormous red spheres standing outside the entrance.
They look almost like oversized decorations designed to match Target's famous red branding. Kids sometimes climb on them, shoppers use them as convenient places to sit, and they have even become recognizable photo spots.
But those giant red balls aren't there simply to make the store look distinctive.
They're actually safety barriers called bollards.
They're Designed to Protect the Store and Shoppers
The main purpose of the spheres is to create a physical barrier between vehicles and the building.
A driver accidentally hitting the accelerator, losing control of a vehicle, or experiencing another unexpected problem could potentially send a car toward a storefront.
The heavy barriers help prevent a vehicle from reaching the entrance or storefront area.
Target's own corporate materials have shown stores with these red spherical bollards outside their entrances for many years, confirming that the distinctive feature has been part of its store design for quite some time.
Why Are They Shaped Like Balls?
This is where Target's branding comes into play.
Bollards don't have to be spherical. They're commonly made as posts, cylinders, or other heavy barriers.
Target's version uses a large, rounded shape that fits naturally with the company's recognizable red-and-white bullseye aesthetic. The result is a safety feature that also looks like part of the store's visual identity.
In other words, they're functional and unmistakably Target.
They're More Than Just Decoration
