Business

TJ Maxx adds jobs, draws big crowd

Shoppers jammed TJMaxx on Sunday for the grand opening.

By Bill Moss, Published: May 20, 2012

Eager shoppers formed a line before 8 o'clock Sunday morning waiting for the opening of TJMaxx, Hendersonville's newest discount retailer and traffic generator for Blue Ridge Mall.

"We had a line wrapped around toward JCPenney" when the store opened, said district manager Mike Simons, who was overseeing a busy first day that exceeded company projections. "Within the first hour we had 500 customers in the store and it's been steady all day long. It's a fantastic turnout."
An off-price retailer, TJ Maxx operates about 900 stores. TJMaxx and Marshalls are the largest of about half dozen retail chains owned by TJX Companies. TJMaxx sells brand-name family apparel, home fashions and other merchandise.
TJX Companies reported first quarter sales of $5.8 billion, up 11 percent over the first quarter of 2011. The Marmaxx division (TJMaxx and Marshalls) had an 8 percent increase in same-store sales.
Clerks stayed busy at TJMaxx grand opening.The discount retailer becomes a significant a new draw for Blue Ridge Mall, which has lost several stores over the past two years and still has vacant store space for lease.
TJMaxx hired about 65 people for the store, and everyone on duty Sunday was busy with the large flock of shoppers who had shown up. The shopper mix was made up of young families, middle-age shoppers and retirees. A line of shoppers waiting to check out extended from the front to the back of the store.
"We expect to exceed our plan," Simons said. Asked if the projection was aggressive, he said, "Yes, it actually was. We feel like we're going to do very well."