TK Maxx

In 1976, TJ Maxx was founded in Framingham, Massachusetts, United States, by Bernard Cammarata. The first international store opened in Bristol, UK, in 1994.{{cite news|last=Hoovers|url=http://www.answers.com/topic/the-tjx-companies-inc?cat=biz-fin|title=The TJX Companies, Inc|publisher=Answers.com|access-date=June 25, 2007}} The company modified the name to TK Maxx to avoid confusion with the unrelated British retail chain T. J. Hughes.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dOK64-6VFrIC|title=Strategic Retail Management: Text and International Cases|author1=Joachim Zentes |author2=Dirk. Morschett |author3=Hanna Schramm-Klein |publisher=Gabler Verlag|year=2011|isbn=9783834967404}}

Opening of stores in the Netherlands between 1999 and 2001 was not as successful as the company wished.{{Citation needed|date=May 2017}} The first store in Germany opened on October 4, 2007, in Lübeck.{{cite web |url=https://www.tjx.com/businesses/europe/tkmaxx |title=T.K. Maxx |website=The TJX Companies |access-date=March 13, 2024}}

In 2007, TK Maxx began winding down new store openings in the United Kingdom. Focus was given to revamping or relocating older inner city stores.{{Citation needed |date=June 2024}} The company opened larger "Maxx Maxx" stores to attempt to move from a budget reputation and become more like a department store.{{cite news |title=TK Maxx opens in the Hayes |url=https://www.walesonline.co.uk/lifestyle/fashion/tk-maxx-opens-hayes-2254076 |access-date=11 June 2024 |work=Wales Online |date=24 May 2007 |language=en}} In August 2008, TK Maxx opened a store on Kensington High Street, London, England, its first central London store, on a site formerly occupied by Habitat.{{cite news |first = Marino |last = Donati |url = https://www.drapersonline.com/news/shoppers-queue-for-kensington-tk-maxx |title = Shoppers queue for Kensington TK Maxx |publisher = Drapers online |date= August 28, 2008 | access-date = September 11, 2009}}

In 2009, TK Maxx was denied permission by the Crown Estate to open a store in a unit on its land at Piccadilly Circus, London. In February that year, the company had signed a deal with the leaseholder of the unit, a {{convert|20000|sqft|m2|0|adj=on}} vacant site formerly used by Virgin Megastores, with a rent of £1.55 million per year.{{cite news |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/hp/front/tk-maxx-not-posh-enough-for-west-end-6743705.html |title=TK Maxx 'not posh enough' for West End |last=Prynn |first=Jonathan |date=April 24, 2009 |publisher=Evening Standard |access-date=March 13, 2024}} The Crown Estate rejected TK Maxx, saying it did not fit its upmarket development strategy for the area.{{cite news|url=http://www.retail-week.com/tk-maxx-not-posh-enough-for-piccadilly/5002111.article |title=TK Maxx 'not posh enough' for Piccadilly |last=Cooper |first=Ben |date=April 29, 2009 |publisher=Retail Week |access-date=September 16, 2009}} In response, publicist Max Clifford and Look magazine launched a campaign in support of a TK Maxx store on the site.{{cite news|url=http://www.retail-week.com/property/celebrities-back-tk-maxx-over-piccadilly-circus-store/5002326.article |title=Celebrities back TK Maxx over Piccadilly Circus store |date=May 1, 2009 |publisher=Retail Week |access-date=September 16, 2009}} A court appeal by TK Maxx against the decision failed.{{cite news|url=http://www.propertyweek.com/story.asp?storycode=3140810 |title=TK Maxx Piccadilly store court case brought forward |last=Duxbury|first=Nick |date=May 9, 2009 |publisher=Property Week |access-date=September 16, 2009}}

In March 2009, the TK Maxx e-commerce site was launched, initially selling only handbags, but later also selling other accessories.{{cite news |first = James |last = Thompson |url = https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/analysis-and-features/discount-fashion-taking-it-to-the-maxx-1774064.html |title = Discount fashion: Taking it to the Maxx |work = The Independent |date= August 19, 2009 | access-date = September 11, 2009}}

In October 2015, the first Dutch store opened in Eindhoven followed by more stores. In April 2017, the brand was launched in Australia, when it took over the thirty five Trade Secret discount department stores. The stores opened in April in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne with stores in Cairns, Townsville, Toowoomba, Canberra, Newcastle, Wollongong, Albury, the Sunshine Coast and the Gold Coast by the end of May.{{cite news|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/2017/04/10/retail-giant-tk-maxx-is-launching-in-australia_a_22034503/|title=Retail Giant TK Maxx Is Launching In Australia|first=Leigh|last=Campbell|date=April 11, 2017|newspaper=Huff Post}}

In June 2023, the first store opened in Tasmania, Australia at Northgate Shopping Centre in Hobart.{{Cite web |date=2023-06-16 |title=TK Maxx opens first Tassie store in Glenorchy |url=https://hobartobserver.com.au/tk-maxx-opens-first-tassie-store-in-glenorchy/ |access-date=2023-09-22 |website=Hobart Observer |language=en-AU}}

In 2007 and 2009, TK Maxx in the UK was the sole retailer of Red Nose Day T-shirts, sales of which generated £2 million in 2007 and £3 million in 2009 for Comic Relief.{{cite news |url = http://www.rednoseday.com/partners/t-k-maxx/ |title = Red Nose Day Partners |publisher = Comic Relief |date= June 25, 2007 | access-date = June 25, 2007 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070323114941/http://www.rednoseday.com/partners/t-k-maxx/ |archive-date = March 23, 2007}}{{cite web|url=http://www.rednoseday.com/partners/tkmaxx |title=TK Maxx |publisher=Red Nose Day 09 |access-date=September 16, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090519082334/http://www.rednoseday.com/partners/tkmaxx |archive-date=May 19, 2009 }}

TK Maxx has been a supporter of the Woodland Trust since 2004, when it held a Christmas card recycling scheme in conjunction with the Trust.{{cite web |last1=Trust |first1=Woodland |title=Our Corporate Partners |url=https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/partnerships/our-partners/more-partners/ |website=Woodland Trust |access-date=11 June 2024}}{{cite web|url=http://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/en/support-us/company-supporters/corporate-partners/Pages/tk-maxx.aspx |title=TK Maxx and Woodland Trust working in partnership |publisher=Woodland Trust |access-date=September 16, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110101141626/http://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/en/support-us/company-supporters/corporate-partners/Pages/tk-maxx.aspx |archive-date=1 January 2011}}

From August 2008, TK Maxx introduced charges on plastic carrier bags and donated the proceeds to the Woodland Trust, which used the funds to plant 30,000 new trees on a {{Convert|15|acre|m2|0|adj=on}} site near Elmstead Market, Essex.{{cite web |last=Lake |first=Howard |title=Woodland Trust to plant trees with funds from TK Maxx carrier bags |url=https://fundraising.co.uk/2009/07/13/woodland-trust-plant-trees-funds-tk-maxx-carrier-bags/ |website=UK Fundraising |access-date=13 March 2024}} This was before the 2015 phase-out of plastic bags in the UK, in which charges became mandatory and are now frequently donated to charity.{{Citation needed |date=June 2024}}

TK Maxx also runs a 'Give Up Clothes For Good' campaign, where customers are encouraged to bring in unwanted clothes for Cancer Research UK.{{cite web|url=https://www.tkmaxx.com/uk/en/give-up-clothes-for-good |title=Give up Clothes for Good |website=TK Maxx |access-date=13 March 2024}}

In Ireland, TK Maxx actively supports Enable Ireland, a charity which helps provide free services to children with disabilities.{{cite web|url=http://www.tkmaxx.ie/enableireland.php|title=Give up Clothes for good - Enable Ireland - TK Maxx Ireland|author=Rob Le Boutillier|work=tkmaxx.ie}}

File:TK Maxx, The Headrow, Leeds 001.jpg|TK Maxx on The Headrow in Leeds

File:TKMaxxLondon1.jpg|TK Maxx on Gracechurch Street, London

File:TKMaxxlondon2.jpg|Interior of TK Maxx on Gracechurch Street, London

File:TK Maxx Amsterdam.jpg|TK Maxx on Damrak, Amsterdam

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{{Commons category|TK Maxx}}

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Category:TJX Companies

Category:Arts and crafts retailers

Category:Retail companies established in 1994

Category:Clothing retailers of Australia

Category:Clothing retailers of the United Kingdom

Category:Companies based in Watford

Category:Department stores of Australia