DeKalb celebrated the grand opening of the Target Distribution Center last Wednesday with an army of new Target employees.

The ceremony took place inside the massive 1.5 million square-foot building with DeKalb’s community leaders sprinkled throughout the crowd.

Smiles were prevalent as employees said they were happy to have decent jobs. DeKalb’s leaders were gleaming over attaining a major warehouse facility for the retail giant and its 1,444 stores nationwide.

“DeKalb has made us feel right at home,” said Brian Edge, general manager of the distribution center.

Edge thanked his team for their hard work the past year, which included over 4,000 interviews.

The city of DeKalb has been encouraged by the contribution Target already has made.

“Target made us feel they would be involved in the community,” DeKalb Mayor Frank Van Buersaid. “They approached us right away.”

Governor Rod Blagovevich sent his top economic-development official to commemorate the event.

Target’s decision to open the distribution center in DeKalb is a tremendous victory for the regional economy and is evidence of great momentum in the Illinois economy, Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Director Jack Lavin said.

The mood was jovial, and no one seemed to care that the oversized prop scissors would not sever the ceremonial ribbon. Mayor Van Buer gracefully laughed with the audience as he gave up on the formality.

Target’s representatives announced $6,000 in grants donated equally to six area organizations intended to aid in family violence prevention, reading and the arts.