It appears Target will be among the retailers to kick off the holiday shopping season on Thanksgiving this year, the Pioneer Press reports. The Minneapolis-based discount chain will reportedly open stores at 9 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 22 -- three hours earlier than last year.

The Minneapolis-based discount giant is firming up plans to enter its first market outside the United States. Target has released a list of 125 store locations in Canada that will open starting next spring. Its first 24 stores are all in Ontario. Later this year, Target will announce additional locations that will open in 2014.

Arkansas-based Walmart has opened its first of 39 former Zeller's stores in Canada that the company acquired from its Minneapolis-based retail rival last year, Retailing Today reports. Target is working on plans to launch its first Canadian stores next spring.

The C9 Active Apparel store in San Francisco will be the Minneapolis-based retailer's first standalone specialty store. It will carry a line of athletic clothing that Target already sells at its regular stores.

A new rumor suggests Apple could launch mini Apple Stores inside a number of Target locations in 2012. Target already sells iPods, iPhones and iPads. If the report by AppleInsider is true, the Minnesota-based retailer could start selling Mac computers.

The proposed store would be the fifth location the Minneapolis-based discount retailer has on the Hawaiian Islands. Pacific Business News reports the 136,500-square-foot store will be the anchor of a new shopping center in Central Maui and could open in 2014.