TJ Maxx

This article is about the American brand. For the international version, see TK Maxx.

TJ Maxx

TJ Maxx logo
TJ Maxx retail location in Upper East Side, Manhattan TJ Maxx outlet in Upper East Side, Manhattan
Company type	Subsidiary
Industry	Retail
Genre	Department store
Founded	1976 (1976) in Framingham, Massachusetts
Founder	Bernard Cammarata
Headquarters	Framingham, Massachusetts
Number of locations	1,271
Areas served	United States
Key people	Ernie Hermann (CEO)
Products	Apparel, footwear, accessories, jewelry, beauty items, bedding, bath products, furniture, home décor, housewares, toys, and giftware
Parent	TJX Companies (1987–present)
Website	tjmaxx.tjx.com

TJ Maxx (commonly stylized as T•J•maxx) represents a prominent American discount department store chain. With over 1,000 outlets across the United States, it ranks among the nation's largest apparel retailers. As the principal brand of the TJX Companies, TJ Maxx offers a diverse product selection including men's, women's, and children's clothing and footwear; toys; bath and beauty products; accessories; jewelry; as well as home furnishings spanning furniture, décor, housewares, and kitchen tools.

TJ Maxx operates alongside its sister chain Marshalls, sharing a widespread presence throughout the U.S. Both brands typically feature comparable pricing structures and inventory assortments with similar store designs. In certain markets, Marshalls may present a more upscale experience by carrying Runway merchandise absent from nearby TJ Maxx locations; conversely, this arrangement can be reversed in other cities. Overall, their retail offerings and layouts are functionally equivalent.

Ernie Herrman serves as the CEO of TJX Companies.

History

File:Milwaukee November 2022 33 (Plankinton Arcade TJ Maxx).jpg

TJ Maxx located in the Plankinton Arcade in Milwaukee

Established in 1976 in Framingham, Massachusetts, TJ Maxx was created by Bernard Cammarata along with the discount department store chain Zayre. After an unsuccessful attempt to acquire Marshalls, Zayre recruited Cammarata—formerly Marshalls' merchandising head—to develop a competing retail chain. The concept's success led Zayre to divest its own namesake stores to competitor Ames in September 1988. Subsequently in December of that year, Zayre restructured and rebranded itself as TJX Companies, Incorporated. In 1995, TJX expanded by acquiring Marshalls.

During autumn of 1998, the company launched the A.J. Wright store chain. This brand was discontinued in January 2007.

In March 2009, TJX introduced an online shopping platform initially featuring handbags only; this later expanded to include apparel, footwear, jewelry, additional accessories, and select home goods.

Outside North America, the retailer operates under the name TK Maxx. This change was implemented to prevent confusion with the UK-based retailer T. J. Hughes. The European headquarters are situated in Watford, Hertfordshire.

Comparison with competitors

In a 2016 article, Business Insider labeled TJ Maxx as the "worst nightmare" for Macy's, highlighting the retailer's disruptive impact on traditional department stores. Mallory Schlossberg later emphasized that TJ Maxx's rapidly increasing sales pose a significant challenge to struggling department stores that rely on customers paying full price. As off-price retailers gained prominence, they emerged as formidable competitors to conventional department stores, reflecting a shift in consumer purchasing behavior. This trend contributed to TJ Maxx's revenue overtaking that of Macy's.

The Economist noted that the operating expenses for TJX and Ross amount to roughly half of those incurred by Macy's or Nordstrom, when measured as a percentage of sales. Additionally, Fortune pointed out that the faster inventory turnover combined with the urgency created by limited-time availability at stores like TJ Maxx and Marshalls has fueled growth in this retail segment, making such establishments unique in attracting consistent foot traffic.

Data theft

In 2007, the company revealed a cybersecurity incident dating back to 2005, where unauthorized individuals had accessed credit and debit card information linked to transactions conducted since January 2003. This breach exposed over 100 million customers to potential fraud, marking it as the largest security compromise at that time. The affected customers were those who used their cards from January 2003 through June 2004 at any TJ Maxx location. Hackers infiltrated systems by installing malicious software via Wi-Fi in June 2005, enabling them to extract personal customer data. This intrusion persisted until January 2007.

The breach impacted various TJX-operated stores including TJ Maxx, Marshalls, HomeGoods, A.J. Wright, and Bob's Stores across the United States, as well as Winners and HomeSense outlets in Canada, with possible effects on TK Maxx locations in the UK and Ireland.

In 2008, eleven individuals worldwide faced charges related to this security breach. An external security firm, Protegrity, estimated that financial losses for TJ Maxx due to this incident could reach £800 million over subsequent years, factoring in expenses such as credit monitoring and administrative management of the breach’s aftermath.

The Massachusetts Bankers Association along with other plaintiffs from Maine and Connecticut filed lawsuits against The TJ Maxx Corporation over the data theft. In March 2010, computer hacker Albert Gonzalez received a 20-year federal prison sentence after admitting to stealing credit and debit card information from multiple companies, including TJ Maxx.

See also

• TJX Companies
• Ross Stores
• Burlington
• TK Maxx
• List of department stores of the United States

External links

• Official TJ Maxx website
• The TJX Companies official site