( CNN ) -- Target Corp. this month will open 27 new stores employing a total of more than 4,300 people , the company said . One of Target 's two new Hawaii stores awaits its Sunday grand opening . The stores ' openings will come just weeks after the retailer cut 600 people from its headquarters staff amid what it called weaker-than-expected sales . The retailer will hold grand openings for the 21 general merchandise stores and six full-grocery SuperTarget stores on Sunday . The new sites include the company 's first two stores in Hawaii . Each general merchandise store employs 150 to 250 people , and each SuperTarget has 200 to 300 workers , the company said . In late January , Minnesota-based Target cut its headquarters staff by 9 percent and eliminated 400 open positions . The company , citing difficult economic conditions and sales that did n't meet expectations , also said it would soon close an Arkansas distribution center that employs 500 people and would cut back on planned new-store openings . `` We are clearly operating in an unprecedented economic environment that requires us to make some extremely difficult decisions to ensure Target remains competitive over the long term , '' Gregg Steinhafel , Target president and CEO , said in a news release that month . Retailers in the United States took a hit last year as a weak economy weighed on consumer spending . Retail sales fell six straight months until January , when sales rose 1 percent , according to the Commerce Department . However , retail experts said they were skeptical a rebound had taken hold . Still , two other retailers also announced plans to expand . Kohl 's announced last month that it intends to open 55 stores in 2009 , and Dollar General in February said it is looking to open more than 400 stores . Target reported its fourth-quarter net earnings were 40.7 percent lower than the same quarter a year earlier . Same-store sales in January were 3.3 percent lower than a year earlier . December same-store sales fell 4.1 percent . Target 's new general merchandise stores are in Rogers , Arkansas ; Santa Clarita , California ; Pensacola , Florida ; Bethlehem , Georgia ; Honolulu and Kapolei , Hawaii ; Council Bluffs , Iowa ; Las Vegas , Nevada ; Paramus , New Jersey ; Cincinnati , Lebanon and Reynoldsburg , Ohio ; Broken Arrow , Oklahoma ; Philadelphia and Exton , Pennsylvania ; Memphis , Tennessee ; Houston , San Antonio and San Marcos , Texas ; Midlothian , Virginia ; and Sun Prairie , Wisconsin . The new SuperTarget stores are in Kissimmee , Florida ; Canton , Georgia ; Hillside , Illinois ; and Pflugerville , Allen and Lewisville , Texas . The new locations will increase the number of Target stores to 1,699 , the company said . CNNMoney.com 's Parija B. Kavilanz contributed to this report .
Target 's new stores to open in 16 states . New employees to employ more than 4,300 . Target in January announced headquarters staff cuts , ahead of expansion plans .