Target dresses up shipping boxes before the holidays

The boxes of the season may not be the ones under the Christmas tree, but the piles of them stacked on your front stoop.

As online shopping intensifies for even the simplest of items, America's doorsteps are stacked with boring tan or white cardboard. To counter that, Target Corp. is now injecting a bit of color and design into its standard shipping fare.

The Minneapolis-based retailer this season has introduced three sizes of cardboard boxes adorned with playful images of its canine mascot, Bullseye.

The large boxes show a merry mutt romping through a house, listening to music through headphones, snoring on a bed, or trotting out the door with a hat in its mouth. The medium-sized boxes show Bullseye driving a truck. In the small ones, the pooch appears to be hiding inside.

"We wanted to take a routine interaction, like receiving a shipping box on your doorstep, and turn it into an expression of joy using Target's iconic branding," Todd Waterbury, Target's chief creative officer, said in an e-mail.

Waterbury said the boxes "elevate the everyday."

It's a clever idea that the retailer expects to keep around even after the holidays.

Here are six sales from local retailers, manufacturers or suppliers to tempt bargain shoppers in advance of Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

Gabberts warehouse sale:

Save 50 to 70 percent on furniture at Gabberts' first warehouse sale in several years Saturday and Sunday. It is several truckloads of living room, dining room, bedroom and patio furniture. Items are floor models, canceled special orders and returns. It is located in the former Golf Galaxy next to Hom Furniture at 7800 Dupont Av. S. in Bloomington.

Gina B. Designs greeting card sale:

Locally designed greeting cards, journals, gift tags, calendars, recipe cards and more will be sold at discounts of 50 to 80 percent. Only cash and checks will be accepted at the sale being held from Nov. 7 to 9 at 12700 Industrial Park Blvd., Suite 40, Plymouth. Call 763-559-7595.

Gage & Gage discounts seasonal gift wrap and boxes, goody bags and ribbon 40 to 80 percent. The sale runs Wednesday through next Sunday, Nov. 16 to 18 and Nov. 30 through Dec. 2 at 660 Valley Industrial Circle S., Shakopee. Go to gagewarehousesale.com.

MyPillow sale:

MyPillow also is participating in the Shakopee discount weekend, offering sales on discontinued styles of bed and travel pillows and dog beds from Wednesday through next Saturday at its warehouse at 5775 12th Av. E., Suite 150, in Shakopee.

Dianne's Custom Candles and Cameron's Coffee are not participating this year in the Shakopee sales weekend.

Delish Foods Warehouse Sale:

Artist sale:

MHS Licensing isn't a recognizable name for many, but the Hopkins company is an agent for about 30 artists. Save 30 to 75 percent on throws, mugs, bathroom accessories, gift bags, greeting cards, candles, home decor and art from local wildlife artists Joe, Robert and James Hautman. The sale will be held Thursday in the first-floor cafeteria at Crescent Ridge Corporate Center, 11100 Wayzata Blvd., Hopkins. Cash and checks only.

JOHN EWOLDT

jcrosby@startribune.com • 612-673-7335