Marshalls

Marshalls, Inc.
Company type	Subsidiary
Industry	Retail
Founded	January 1, 1956; 70 years ago in Beverly, Massachusetts, U.S.
Founder	Alfred Marshall, Bernard Goldston, Norman Barren, Irving Blitt
Headquarters	Framingham, Massachusetts, United States
Area served	United States, Canada, Puerto Rico
Products	Clothing, shoes, home furnishings, other items
Owner	TJX Companies
Parent	TJX Companies
Website	www.marshalls.com

Marshalls, Inc. is a U.S.-based off-price department store chain owned by TJX Companies. It operates more than 1,000 locations across 49 states and Puerto Rico, including larger-format Marshalls Mega Stores combined with HomeGoods. Since expanding into Canada in March 2011, Marshalls has also opened 61 stores there.

As one of the foremost off-price retailers of apparel and home goods in the United States, alongside its sister brand TJ Maxx, Marshalls provides an extensive selection of products such as clothing, shoes, home furnishings, and other items. The company promotes itself with the taglines Your Surprise Is Waiting and Never Boring, Always Surprising.

Independent company

Marshalls was established in 1956 by entrepreneur Alfred Marshall together with partners Bernard Goldston, Norman Barren, and Irving Blitt. The company was a pioneer of the "Brand Names For Less" model on the East Coast. Initially concentrating on discounted apparel and household goods, the founders took advantage of post-World War II economic prosperity and suburban growth by opening a self-service department store in Beverly, Massachusetts.

Among its early innovations was leasing sections of its floor space to independent vendors selling shoes, hardware, and sporting equipment—creating a seamless shopping experience—and hosting a soda fountain/grill run by third-party operators. This retail concept quickly gained popularity; within ten years, Marshalls had become the leading off-price retail chain nationwide.

Throughout the economically unstable 1970s, Marshalls utilized a purchasing strategy focused on acquiring manufacturers’ off-season and clearance stock to offer designer merchandise at prices 20 to 60 percent below conventional department stores. This tactic strengthened its market position and supported ongoing expansion.

Melville Corporation

In 1976, Marshalls was purchased by Melville Corporation, which at that time operated 36 stores in New England and California as well as five independently owned outlets in the Caribbean. By 1982, the company exceeded $1 billion in sales. The store count grew to 261 across the country by 1987; however, profit margins declined in the mid-1980s after shifting emphasis toward lower-priced merchandise to compete more directly with discount chains. During the early 1990s, Marshalls—accounting for 28% of Melville’s revenue—faced stiff competition from rival TJ Maxx. By 1993, Marshalls had expanded to serve customers in 42 states including Hawaii, and opened its first location in Puerto Rico in 1994. Despite growth, pretax operating income fell by 20% between 1993 and 1994.

TJX

In 1995, TJX acquired Marshalls for $550 million when it operated 496 stores. As sister brands under TJX ownership, Marshalls and T.J. Maxx maintain similar pricing structures and store designs; however, Marshalls distinguishes itself with a greater emphasis on family footwear along with larger departments for men’s and juniors’ apparel.

Beginning in 2005, Marshalls launched Shoe MegaShop sections within stores, expanding this concept to 240 locations by 2008 and planning an additional 200 for fiscal year 2009. This format was later introduced as standalone outlets. In 2015, Marshalls celebrated opening its 1,000th store and debuted an online shopping site in 2019.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Marshalls temporarily shut all physical stores and paused online sales starting March 2020 while closing distribution centers and corporate offices. TJX initiated phased store reopenings in May and completed them by June to sustain operations amid the public health crisis.

Legal issues

In 2002, TJX agreed to a $100 million settlement in California to address a class-action lawsuit accusing Marshalls of improperly classifying workers to circumvent overtime compensation requirements, thereby breaching the federal Fair Labor Standards Act.

Philanthropy

Marshalls collaborates with various U.S.-based charitable groups dedicated to supporting children, families, and local communities. Their philanthropic efforts include backing initiatives such as Domestic Violence Prevention, the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, the National Youth Anti-Drug Campaign, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, and United Way.

Marshalls Canada

The company initiated its Canadian presence in March 2011. By November 2016, Marshalls had established 50 stores across Canada, with intentions to grow its footprint to nearly 100 outlets nationwide.

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