Nothing short of a blue-balling tease that will surely leave the city aching for days, Target plans on setting up shop in SF. Yesterday, the chain store revealed plans to open an outdoor store in Mint Plaza from December 11 to 13, which, according to SF Examiner, will "sav[e] residents from having to venture to the suburbs to access some of the bargain retailer’s holiday items."

This unusual chain store cum plaza market is one of only three in the U.S. nationwide to open an outdoor store for the holidays. (NYC and Washington DC being the other [un?]lucky recipients.)

Billed as the "Target-To-Go" store, it will "only offer about 50 items," which are promised to be the "the hottest" and "most affordable" items of their big stores.

San Franciscans, however, are weary of chain stores. Fearing they might prick the elite amusement park bubble in which we live or turn the city into a strip mall, depending on how you want to look at it, big chain stores have always been a source of heated chatter here on SFist.

Also, Target, if you recall, might set-up shop permanently inside the ailing Metreon complex at Mission and Fourth streets.