Maxxinistas Have a New Place to Call Home

By Colleen's Contributor, Angela Diffly

FINALLY! Atlanta’s Intown Maxxinistas Have a Place to Call Home

T.J.Maxx’s Grand Opening on Ponce de Leon is a Happy, Happy Day

On May 20th my world changed. While it may seem trivial to some, the grand opening of T.J. Maxx on Ponce de Leon in Poncey-Highland was a major event for me. Before this historic event, I drove to Atlantic Station, Howell Mill Road, Buckhead or (shudder, red-faced with embarrassment) the shops at Edgewood to brave the picked-over and scrappy Ross. And we all know the traffic situation in Atlanta, so it’s not like a girl has time to pop in and shop for a few at 5:00 pm on a Sunday before closing. So when I saw that T.J.Maxx was opening right next to Whole Foods on Ponce, I thought maybe it was a mirage.

Perhaps this is the tip of the iceberg. The formerly known City Hall East, right across the street from our new beloved T.J.Maxx, is being revamped into a live-work-play complex called Ponce City Market, which boasts ten stories, each spanning two-plus acres which adds up to two million square feet! Wowza! To you, T.J.Maxx and to you, Ponce City Market, may I just say it’s about time something opens on Ponce besides scary fried chicken fast food and creepy antique stores with mannequin heads glaring at you as you drive by. (Sorry Urban Outfitters, I love you, but you can’t compete here.)

T.J.Maxx is one of the nation’s largest off-price retailers operating in 48 states, and one of my favorite places to find majorly discounted designer duds. Late last year the already-mammoth retailer announced plans to grow its square footage by 5%, netting a total of 130 to 145 new stores and putting the company on the path to its ultimate goal of doubling its current store network (which includes Marshalls, Home Goods and others) to 4,500 stores throughout the U.S., Canada, the U.K. and Germany. In April, T.J.Maxx announced a major milestone in the brand’s 35-year history with the opening of its 1,000th store in Washington, D.C. And on May 20th, T.J.Maxx sauntered into the heart of Atlanta and stole the heart of budget-conscious fashionistas within a three-mile radius (that would be me, in case you hadn’t guessed!).

I expected drones of eager designer-clad young women storming the doors à la Filene’s Basement Running of the Brides®, but alas, it appeared not everyone was in the know. I was up late in anticipation watching TV the night before salivating over the ads:

TV:

Don’t miss it – the Grand Opening of T.J.Maxx on Ponce de Leon in Atlanta!

Me (shouting) to the TV:

YOU BET I WON’T MISS IT! I’LL BE THERE, BABY!

TV:

No response.
Me:

I guess maybe I’m a little too eager for this. Maybe I need a cocktail to calm my nerves…

Bright and early I skipped from the parking lot (which was surprisingly not crazed) into the fashion mecca, grabbed the last shopping cart, and proceeded to get on with the hunt. Upon entering, I was greeted by three eager T.J.Maxx associates offering me a free bag (see last photo), and Miss Georgia. I’ll admit I tried looking up her name, but who knew there were so many Miss Georgias out there? So many of them look alike! And how do I know if the current Miss Georgia can wear the sash and crown or if former Miss Georgias can make appearances like this? It was mind-boggling, so I gave up (sorry, Miss Georgia who was at T.J.Maxx). See the photo in my sidebar.

I was in the store for more than an hour. I wasn’t about to leave any aisle unvisited. I would have ventured down each one, even if it said “Live Bait” on the aisle marker. I needed to see it ALL. The shoe section left a lot to be desired, but the purses were very good (I purchased one!) and the skin care section is fabulous! See it here:

I used to never look at skin care creams and such, but sadly it’s one of my favorite sections now that there are wrinkles involved…

Everything in the store was neat and organized and clean (even the shopping carts!), and I hope it stays that way. I’m optimistic that the location will necessitate above-average inventory and sufficient staffing to keep it looking great. There were hoards of associates everywhere, eager to help at every turn, which is so unusual. You know how it is, you expect over-the-top attentiveness at Nordstrom, but at T.J.Maxx you’re usually on your own in the midst of the chaos in a trance-like state flicking through tank top after tank top until you see stars and the sun hurts your eyes when you resurface into daylight.

Overall, it was a great day and I wasn’t disappointed. And I had set the bar high. Here’s proof, back at the homestead:

I returned home with my walking advertisement for T.J.Maxx (the free red bag!) stuffed to the brim with cute stuff that I quickly added to my closet of pretties. I’ve already been back twice since that day, so it’s safe to say I’m going to be a regular.

If you’re reading this and you live Intown Atlanta, you won’t have to drive very far when the shopping bug bites you at 5:00 pm on a Sunday (and you’ll still have time to do some damage before closing)!

If you live elsewhere check out the TJ Maxx Store Locator to find a location near to you. Cheers!

And be sure to let me know your favorite Maxxinista purchase!