TARGET will close its Rockdale store in November.
A Target spokesman said the store would close its doors for the last time when its lease ended.
"We have taken the difficult decision to close our Target Rockdale store when the lease expires in November this year," he said.
"Unfortunately, the store has been underperforming for some time now and it's no longer financially viable for us to continue trading the store.
"We will look wherever possible to redeploy our Rockdale team members to other Target and Wesfarmers businesses in the area."
The store has 52 employees including five full-time, 15 part-time and 32 casual staff.
Rockdale Chamber of Commerce president Allan Wight said the decision to close had come as a surprise.
"I think Target offered a great opportunity for people to buy a big range of products in the town centre," he said.
"But the closure could bring other opportunities."
A Rockdale Council spokesman confirmed the council owned the site but had a 50-year lease with Plaza Apartments Pty Ltd, which expires in 2024.
"In December 2014 council were made aware that Target had chosen not to extend their lease by a further 10 years, which expires in November 2015," he said.
"Target's decision has no bearing on the validity of the head lease."
Under the Rockdale Town Centre Masterplan adopted in 2012, the site is earmarked to be redeveloped into a new town square on Bryant Street and a food market, forming the necessary link between the civic precinct and King Street precinct.
Rockdale Mayor Shane O'Brien said the stores closure would be a loss for Rockdale.
"It's sad to see a big store like Target leave," he said.
"Hopefully we can attract other tenants to revitalise the site and help boost the town centre."
The Target decision means St George will lose two major retailers in 2015 following the closure of Myer in Westfield Hurstville last month.
Are you sad to see Target Rockdale go? Or tell us what you would like to see go in that spot.
