Store Review: T.J. Maxx

I was really excited to hear that a T.J. Maxx was finally opening near me. Its doors finally opened this past weekend in Daly City. I found time for a visit on Monday and was immediately sucked in. The presentation of the two-floor store is great. Unlike Ross or even Nordstrom Rack the employees are always straightening the merchandise, making it presentable and pleasing. Often the mish-mash of shoes at Ross makes me want to scream, but I definitely didn't have that problem at T.J. Maxx.

Speaking of shoes, there was a very good selection of enjoyable brands such as Steve Madden, Nine West, and Tahari. Most of them were in the $20-30 range. I even saw a few pairs of Cavalli's!

The hand bag selection was my favorite part. I spent close to an hour looking through them. I saw many mid level designers such as Coach, Bettseyville, Dooney and Bourke, Juicy Couture, and Michael Kors. These bags were still running in the $70-200 range. If you wanted something cute and less expensive they have a good selection including Kathy Von Zealand and Nine West. I really like the Michael Kors bags but can't quite afford one right now. I think that is going to be a future purchase though.

Juniors clothes were impressive in selection of styles, but not selection of sizes. I wear an extra small in most brands and found close to nothing in my size. In my size I found some sleek styles by Donna Karen New York but that was about it. Shorts and capris were a little more abundant in the small sizes, as were sun dresses. I don't know if this is just because small sizes aren't made in very large quantities or because the store is new and was raided by fashion hungry, skinny girls over the weekend. I did take a look at woman's wear also and saw a number of great brands and styles. I don't really have too much expertise on which sizes are hard to find, so you might have to check that out yourself.

One thing I was hoping to find was a new swimsuit for the summer. Again the sizing was difficult, very little in the extra small to medium size range. I was hoping to find some monokinis, as I've been struck with the notion that they are much hotter then the usual bikini. But there were a lot of attractive, larger size swim suits. Including some really nice Michael Kors tankinis. I did end up buying a Michael Kors swim cover up for $15 that was originally $100. (There were a lot of attractive cover-ups from skirts to tunic styles, really great for time spent out of the pool.)

Mens wear was minimal compared to women's, but still a nice selection. Underwear and lingerie really wasn't anything special. It is about the same selection you would find at Ross, but you can expect it to be on the right rack at T.J. Maxx. They had some nice perfumes, including L.A.M.B., Sarah Jessica Parker, Escada, and Versace. The only thing is you can't test them, so know you like it beforehand.

Not clothing related but definitely worth mentioning are the house wares. I am definitely going to get some new towels there, and the wall art selections are very sophisticated and don't look cheap. The kitchen gear they have in stock is also a wonderful addition to any home.

Well, I know I'm sold, but why don't you go check it out? Happy shopping!

If you go (about 5 minutes away from San Francisco State University, near Safeway and Trader Joe's):

West Lake Center
100 West Lake Ctr
Daly City, CA 94015
Phone: 650-991-1006

Mon-Sat: 9:30a-9:30p
Sun: 11a-6p