ALLIANCE Dozens of shoppers chattered excitedly early Sunday morning as they headed into T.J. Maxx.
The retailer opened its newest location at 2642 W State St.
“This is the highlight of our year!” 64-year-old Alliance resident Cindy Knepp said.
She and Susan Meece, 63, of Alliance, arrived at the department store shortly after 8 a.m. The retired teachers were excited to go inside and see what the new T.J. Maxx had to offer.
“We’ve been waiting on pins and needles, counting down the days,” Meece said. “We’re just so happy that Alliance has finally got another retail store.”
The 21,052-square-foot store is located in the West State Square plaza between Walmart and Carnation City Mall. The plaza also houses Sally Beauty, Dollar Tree, Verizon and Sleep Outfitters.
The store has been in development for more than a year. Alliance approved plans for occupancy in late 2019, but construction on the building’s 10,000-square-foot addition experienced multiple delays amid the pandemic.
T.J. Maxx replaced two retailers in the plaza. Rue21 closed its Alliance location permanently and EmbroidMe relocated to 2213 W. State St.
Knepp and Meece were thrilled to see T.J. Maxx move into the city because it provides them with another shopping option in Alliance. They prefer to shop locally and hope to see more retailers come to the area.
“I would love to have a Target,” Knepp said.
Similarly, Mount Union professor Sheryl Mason, 52, of Alliance said the new T.J. Maxx location will be convenient for shoppers.
“My daughters and I really enjoy shopping at T.J. Maxx, typically in Canton,” she said. “So I’m excited to have one closer by.”
Mason hopes the city will continue to see business growth and development, particularly with the Carnation City Mall.
Alliance has plans to redevelop the mall property by placing it into a tax incremental financing program that would exempt the owners from some property taxes.
Under the proposal, the city would take temporary ownership of the mall before transferring it to Fairmount Properties, a Cleveland-based developer that intends to redevelop it into a “supercenter retail facility.”
“I think it’s appealing to our college students, too, as well as those of us who live in the area. It’s nice to not necessarily need to go to Canton or Boardman to get some of these stores,” Mason said.
Alliance Director of Planning and Development Joe Mazzola said T.J. Maxx will contribute to the city’s retail landscape and complement other clothing stores in the area.
“It adds to the already significant mix of local and national retail operations,” he said.
Headquartered in Framingham, Massachusetts, T.J. Maxx operates more than 1,200 stores worldwide, including a location at 3963 Everhard Road NW in Plain Township.
“Our newest store in Alliance will offer an ever-changing selection of high-quality, on-trend and brand-name merchandise at the amazing prices T.J. Maxx is known for,” T.J. Maxx public relations supervisor Katie MacLeod said. “Our buyers create a unique mix that offers value for styles in every department, and we’re excited to bring this experience to a new neighborhood.”
The retailer’s hours are 9:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday.
Reach Paige at pmbennett@gannett.com
On Twitter: @paigembenn
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