Target Corp. is preparing to open its long-awaited Kailua store on March 4.

The Minneapolis-based retailer has nearly completed construction of the 130,000-square-foot store at 345 Hahani St. after a more than two-year delay, according to a Target spokeswoman.

The Kailua store, originally scheduled to open in July 2012, has met opposition from a vocal group of residents who fear the big-box retailer will change Kailua’s small-town charm, bring more people into the quiet neighborhood and cause further traffic congestion.

The company has run into other development delays as well. It was forced revise plans for the project after an archaeological study discovered unidentified iwi kupuna, or Native Hawaiian skeletal remains. 

The company has hired roughly 500 workers combined for the Kailua store and another location in Kahului on Maui, also opening in March.