NEW YORK — Business owners in Washington Heights are trying to stop a Target store from opening in their neighborhood. 

The store is set to be built at 181st Street and St. Nicholas Avenue.

Small business owners hit hard by the pandemic are worried Target could further hurt their business.

Some are asking local leaders for help to stop the store from opening.

Target doesn't need any approval since it's not receiving any kind of grant from the city government. 

"The prices of Target, the abilities that they have, the economies of scale they can produce would hurt a small business," said Joe Lorenzo, owner of Macson Shoes.

"What we hope will happen is that they bring opportunities to the community by employing locally and also to provide areas where the local merchants have space to display their arts and crafts," said Washington Heights Business Improvement District Executive Director Sidro Medina,

In a statement, Target said, "We're committed to taking all the necessary steps to prepare the store for the neighborhood, and it’s not uncommon for timing to shift slightly as part of that process."