Mia Nakaji Monnier is a freelance writer and former weekend editor at Apartment Therapy. She lives in Los Angeles and spends most of her free time knitting.
In the U.S., T.J. Maxx is synonymous with hunting for hidden gems, like solid cookware and painted ceramic dishes, amid an always-changing mix of random items (The Onion captured this experience particularly well). In Europe, there’s one small but major difference: There, the store is called T.K. Maxx.
T.J. Maxx and T.K. Maxx are the same. Their logos look the same, they share the same concept (selling deeply discounted goods from department store brands), and they’re part of the same parent company, called TJX Companies. So why the different names?
First, a brief history. T.J. Maxx opened in 1977 with two locations in Massachusetts (Auburn and Worcester), according to the TJX Companies website. Over the next 15 years, the store expanded through the U.S. and into Canada, and sprouted into sister brand HomeGoods. In 1994, T.J. Maxx reached the U.K. and Ireland, where it opened as T.K. Maxx.
According to Wales Online, there was already a discount store operating in the U.K. at the time, called TJ Hughes. (It’s still around, in fact, though it’s much smaller than its competitor, with 24 total locations around the U.K., according to Business Insider.) In order to avoid confusion, T.J. Maxx became T.K. Maxx, which it remains across Europe today.
Though the reason for the name change is simple, it’s still fun to entertain other possibilities. When the question came up on Quora, one commenter named Stewart Thompson gave this answer (before citing the actual TJ Hughes story):
“TK is [TJ’s] younger brother… Or it could be that both TJ and TK come from a long family line of Maxx’s that all own chains in different countries? TA through to TG retired some time ago…”
When we see the opening of T.L. Maxx, we’ll know the takeover attempt has really begun.
In 1976, TJ Maxx was founded in Framingham, Massachusetts, United States, by Bernard Cammarata. The first international store opened in Bristol, UK, in 1994. The company modified the name to TK Maxx to avoid confusion with the established British retail chain T. J. Hughes (which is not affiliated with TJX
TJX
The TJX Companies, Inc.
(abbreviated TJX) is an American multinational off-price department store corporation, headquartered in Framingham, Massachusetts.
Outside of North America, TJ Maxx is known as TK Maxx. The name was modified to avoid confusion with the British retail chain T. J. Hughes. The European headquarters are based in Watford, Hertfordshire.
Maxx, TJX Companies, and TJ Hughes stands for the first names of the original founder of the company, Bernard Cammarata's, father. His father's name was Stanley Marcus, and his middle name was Jay. Therefore, the "TJ" in these retailer names represents "Stanley Jay" [1]. T.J.
The chain began in the United States with the name TJ Maxx. When the company opened stores in the UK in 1994, it used the name TK Maxx to avoid confusion with T. J. Hughes , a British retail chain. The company used the name TK Maxx elsewhere in Europe when it expanded there.
Unlike traditional retailers, we generally don't do promotions, sales or other gimmicks, just big labels and designer gems at up to 60% less than the RRP and at a significant discount to the price in a department store or on the high street, every single day. We're also not an outlet store.
The chain began in the United States with the name TJ Maxx. When the company opened stores in the UK in 1994, it used the name TK Maxx to avoid confusion with T. J. Hughes , a British retail chain. The company used the name TK Maxx elsewhere in Europe when it expanded there.
TK Maxx is part of TJX Europe which comprises the TK Maxx and HomeSense brands. TJX Europe is part of The TJX Companies, Inc. (NYSE:TJX). TK Maxx first launched in the UK in 1994 and in the last twenty years has expanded across Europe with stores in Ireland, Germany, Poland, Austria and The Netherlands.
Ross Stores, Inc. is an American chain of off-price department stores headquartered inPleasanton, California,[4] operating under the name Ross Dress for Less. It is the third largest off-price retailer in the United States, behind T.J. Maxx and Marshalls, both of which are owned by TJX Companies.
Parent company TJX Companies (TJX) owns and operates TJ Maxx, Marshalls, HomeGoods, Sierra Trading Post, and in the U.K., TK Maxx. The TJX Companies business model is to give customers selection – and a lot of it.
Unlike brands and stores that lock in their inventory six months to a year in advance, TJX and other off-price chains buy surplus merchandise to sell it right away. They also capitalize on orders that have been canceled or when companies manufacture too many items.
HomeGoods is owned by TJX Companies and is a sister company to T.J. Maxx, Sierra Trading Post, and Marshalls. The size of each store varies by location.
What sets TK Maxx apart from other discount retailers is the way they procure their merchandise. Rather than buying excess inventory, they purchase directly from designers/retailers. The same is true for end-of-season fashion finds. This means they can sell items at up to 60% off the original retail price.
A 'one' on the label means the product was “produced solely for TK Maxx”. Meanwhile, 'two' is described as “genuine unsold stock” and 'seven' means that the item “was packed away from a previous year.”
Whilst it appeals to a wide demographic due to its always updating “style on a budget” offering, the core customers are medium-and-above income females aged 25 to 54 who enjoy bargain hunting.
History. In 1976, TJ Maxx was founded in Framingham, Massachusetts, United States, by Bernard Cammarata. The first international store opened in Bristol, UK, in 1994. The company modified the name to TK Maxx to avoid confusion with the established British retail chain T. J. Hughes (which is not affiliated with TJX).
The TJX Companies is an international department store company with more than 4,500 locations around the world. It's the corporation behind brands like Marshall's and HomeGoods. In the United States, its flagship store is TJ Maxx. In the United Kingdom, the chain goes by the name TK Maxx.
T.J.Maxx and T.K. Maxx are the same. Their logos look the same, they share the same concept (selling deeply discounted goods from department store brands), and they're part of the same parent company, called TJX Companies.
Although exactly the same company, with the same logo, the store is called TJ Maxx in the US – and TK Maxx in Europe and Australia. The store is actually American, with more than 1,200 retailers across the country. It first opened its doors in 1977, and the first UK store was opened in 1994.
Introduction: My name is Kerri Lueilwitz, I am a courageous, gentle, quaint, thankful, outstanding, brave, vast person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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