A unique mix of retail merchandise — from canned Spam to Mossimo Giannulli fashion apparel to epoxy surfboards — is two weeks away from the hands of local shoppers as the nation's second-largest discount retailer prepares to open its first two Hawai'i stores.

Target, the company known for cheap chic, is advertising a March 8 opening for its stores in Kapolei and Salt Lake on O'ahu, though a "soft opening" at which the general public can begin shopping is set for 8 a.m. March 4.

The two stores will add a small, but unique link, to Target's national chain of roughly 1,700 stores. But the long-awaited arrival is being anticipated as nothing short of a seismic event for many Hawai'i shoppers — some of whom are fanatical about the store they affectionately refer to as "Tar-jhay."

"We've been waiting for Target forever," said Lisa Cain, a recruiter for a local staffing firm who lives in Kapolei and plans to be in the store March 4, a Wednesday. "We're looking forward to it."

Jon Radtke, leader of the Kapolei Target store, said the company hoped the soft opening would be a low-key event that helps break in employees, though he suspects that may not be possible.

"We're nervous that the soft opening will be the grand opening," he said.

Carol Pregill, executive director of the Retail Merchants of Hawai'i trade association, said Target should expect a jam of people checking out the new stores on the first day they can.

"I'm going to guess it's going to be long lines," she said. "Historically, opening days of new (big) retailers in town have been tremendous."

Retailers swamped on opening days for their first Hawai'i store include Kmart, Wal-Mart, Best Buy and Nordstrom, among others.

The timing of Target opening its stores in Hawai'i during a severe economic downturn is viewed by some industry observers as fairly opportune because the company is a value retailer.

"Their price points are in line with the trend where people are shopping," Pregill said. "I think Target is a brand that our consumers have been looking for."

Target first disclosed plans to enter Hawai'i three years ago, and began construction of the two stores a year ago. A third store in Kailua, Kona, on the Big Island is under construction and is scheduled to open in July.

Yesterday, officials with the Hawai'i Target stores gave the local media a sneak peek inside the partially stocked store in Salt Lake, which at 180,000 square feet is 20,000 square feet bigger than the Kapolei store and one of the largest in the Target chain.

Target renovated and enlarged a former Costco store in Salt Lake's Bougainville Industrial Park, and added a two-story parking structure with 720 stalls.

Two buildings with 15 small retail spaces, which but for Papa John's Pizza emptied after Costco left in 2002, are being renovated by Target and are available for lease.

Inside the Salt Lake Target, the company departed from some of its highly structured format to better integrate the store with Hawai'i, accommodating local tastes and featuring Hawai'i-made products.

One example is Target's dining area, which features $1.50 Spam musubi, $3 fried saimin and $3 California roll sushi along with sandwiches, salads and a Pizza Hut Express.

The first merchandise area just inside the store entrance is an "aloha shop" filled with tourist items including hula dolls, inexpensive 'ukulele and key chains.

Store features more typical for Target include a pharmacy, Starbucks with seating, a limited grocery section with dry and chilled foods, photo lab and a seasonal item section in the rear right corner of the store.

Nonapparel departments include what can generally be found in other mass-merchandise stores, such as electronics, jewelry, toys, housewares, beauty, sporting goods, automobile, luggage, books, music and stationery.

Especially known for its exclusive or in-house fashion brands, Target has a wide selection of apparel organized by brand, including Mossimo, Converse's One Star and in-house fashion labels Merona and Xhilaration.

One local fashion partnership is with local designer and manufacturer Tori Richard, which is producing a line of $30 aloha shirts for Target with designs that will change every 60 days.

The Tori Richard shirts made for Target under the brand name Pau Hana are also being sold at 100 Mainland Target stores.

Bill Bremner, Target's senior buyer for offshore markets, said the shirts began selling two weeks ago in Mainland stores with strong results.

"Our partnership with Tori Richard has been great," he said.

Bremner said Target sought out several local suppliers for its Hawai'i stores that possibly could have sales expanded outside the state depending on supply and demand.

One local company thrilled to be in Target's Hawai'i stores is a maker of organic bath products called Bubble Shack. The company, started three years ago by husband-and-wife team Ashley and Holly Harding out of their Mililani home, snagged high-profile end space on an aisle in Target.

"This is our first experience with big-box retailers," Ashley Harding said. "We are very excited to be with Target."

Target also is carrying epoxy surfboards made by New Surf Project, a Maui company also known as NSP Surfboards. Target will carry a shortboard, longboard and an 11-foot stand-up paddle surfboard.

Other items familiar to local shoppers will be canned Spam and lots of slippers, including Locals and Scott Hawaii brands.

"I don't think you'll find this in a Mainland Target store," Bremner said, holding a package of cuttlefish. "There are some unique products that local people enjoy."