Binge shopping for the Fourth at the place that is never the same place twice

My addiction to TJ Maxx, and my one-stop shopping binge for everything Fourth of July

As I loaded up for Independence Day festivities at my secret place, before I noticed two hours had passed. I wondered how the time had gotten away from me, as it always does when I go there; and more broadly, I wondered how my TJ Maxx compulsion had started.

It began innocently, many years ago.  I wandered into TJ Maxx.  I wondered, “What is this odd place; a sort of no-frills mini department store?” I discovered, it is just that.  Officially, TJ Maxx is considered a department store, but sans the helpful sales associates to bring you different sizes in the dressing room. I have come to peace with my TJ Maxx habit, because if you are going to have a shopping problem, or more positively referred to as retail therapy, at least TJ’s is affordable.

I have found some great deals, like 50 percent-off prices on designer clothes that are currently in other stores.  How do they do it?  Well, for starters, its doubtful you’ll find too many of the same thing at TJ’s, such as a rack of the same white blouse in six sizes. They get the leftovers, but remember, last does not mean least, and beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and one man’s trash…you get the point.  There’s great stuff there, but you do have to really look.

Much of the merchandize is one-offs, end-of-season or last season or slow sellers at other stores. Rarely do I see an irregular item, though if so, those items are marked as such and usually deeply discounted. There’s also an awesome clearance section in each department, where you can find a set of three dishes or an item out of a box or in a banged-up box for a fraction of the regular retail price.

So, for the Forth, here’s a sampling of the great stuff I found, all for under $100.  Talk about a celebration.