A big-box chain is coming to Wicker Park: Target is opening a store in the neighborhood in July.

But there’s nothing big about this store — the 12,800-square-foot Target at 1664 W. Division St. will be the chain’s smallest yet in the Chicago area, and one of the smallest nationwide, Target spokeswoman Erin Conroy said in an email.

The store, which will anchor the Centrum Wicker Park apartment development, will be Target’s ninth “small-format” store in the area and one of 130 the retailer expects to operate by the end of 2019, Target said Monday in a news release.

The smaller stores are designed for urban areas, dense suburban neighborhoods and college campuses, where traditional full-sized Targets don’t fit. To make the smaller size work, stores carry a trimmed-down range of merchandise Target says it tailors to residents and commuters in each location.

But the chain’s definition of “small” can vary widely. The small-format stores Target opened this year ranged from 19,600 square feet, in Cincinnati, to 50,000 square feet in Phoenix and East Palo Alto, Calif.

Conroy said each store’s size depends on a range of factors, including the type of products and services it will offer.

The Wicker Park shop will have a boutique-style beauty section; apparel; baby and children’s items, including toys and sporting goods; and groceries for “fill-in” trips between major shopping runs, like fresh produce, snacks and grab-and-go items. Online shoppers will also be able to pick up orders at the store.

lzumbach@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @laurenzumbach