With time to kill in Salisbury on Friday, I had exhausted the amount of banter and cups of coffee avaialble on Fisherton Street and somehow found myself in TK Maxx.

Possibly the worst example of retail I have ever seen, yet somehow so very magnetic and fascinating….!

I even bought something. A rather nice pertex gilet from Montane for a tenner. Which was nice.

Seems to me that if you have nothing to do and nothing in particular you’re looking to buy, it’s worth a trawl around for a while. I shall return…!

Good for Skiing gear and work shirts, and jeans actually.

Possibly the worst example of retail I have ever seen…I even bought something.

???

My wife goes in a lot. She spends about 45 minutes usually and never finds anything. I can almost always find something both useful and bargainous, but it’s no use looking for a particular thing. 🙂

There’s a technique to shopping in TK Maxx.
Only look in your size range, ignore the swathes of other sizes so you only have to look in one section of a particular rail. If you’re not in the market for a posh frock or steak knives, don’t look in that dept. Simple 🙂 HTH

Good for Skiing gear and work shirts

Work shirts? Good grief – I consider TM Lewin to be low rent when it comes to work shirts.

Agree with BD, though – it’s all about random stuff picked up almost by accident. Might visit the Manchester branch at lunchtime when off to the chemist.

It’s tops for shorts/boardies and t-shirts. 3 quarters of my wardrobe is from there! 😀

i get just about everything form TKMaxx, trainers, shoes, shirts, jeans, T’s. And the kitchen stuff is usualy a bargain too.

as long as you buy stuff you want rather than stuff thats a “bargain” you cant go wrong.

Only problem is the variation from town to town, Reading and Sheffield are both good, Derby is appalingly bad/understocked/messy.

I loves the TK Maxx.
T shirts for £12 that on the other side of town in the skate boutique cost £30, Vans shoes at less than half price.
I even picked up some of my Global knives from the TK…

Tacky Max = rubbish, I shop at the designer outlet Matt Allan 🙂

‘There’s a technique to shopping in TK Maxx. Only look in your size range’ Thats absolute genius jojoA1, I’ve wasted so much time looking in the XL section even though I’m a medium, never again though thanks to your handy shopping tip. 🙄

I love the satisfaction of buying stuff from T-to-the-K. I found a pair of shoes which are exactly what I’ve been looking for on the high street for months, and only £20 to boot. Only happens 1 in 20 visits, but when it does, oh its good.

TK Maxx is the nuts if you know what you’re looking for. Bought some vintage Nike trainers for a tenner, some Van’s old school for a tenner.

Was in my local one yesterday and they had a good amount of Zoo York stuff really cheap. Also had some Jansport rucksacks for half price.

I never pay the over inflated prices for the stuff i like from all these shops now catching on to the fact that skate clothing is now a profitable commodity. Can’t remember the last time i paid full price for my trainers

I had a TK Maxx success in Salisbury on Friday as well! Must have been good vibes in there that day, cos I rarely do. The cutest long top/short dress was in the blouses section for some reason. And for some reason, I saw it even though I wasn’t looking in the blouses section. It was just meant to be 🙂

And CFH, lots + variety + unusual + cheap…. surely that’s a GOOD rather than a bad example of retail!

I consider TM Lewin to be low rent when it comes to work shirts

What does that mean?

Gary dearest, you would be surprised at the number of women who trawl all the rails regardless of the sizes on the hangers/sections. Of course a man wouldn’t do anything as silly.

surfer – Member

I consider TM Lewin to be low rent when it comes to work shirts

What does that mean?

That he’s a preening ponce.

Lewins shirts are pretty much spot on. Although, I have to say that I have recently taken to buying Roderick Charles and am very pleased. Neither are available in the Maxx.

What is this “shopping for clothes” of which your speak?

I think I last bought some clothes in 2007. Socks I think they were. Ghastly business too – shan’t be doing that again for a few years,

I trawl through the rails regardless of size because generally tk maxx are pretty rubbish at sizing stuff correctly, especially if it’s got foreign sizing. This means you find bargains that the people who think they’re shopping smart never see, they’re ignored by the people looking in that section because they’re too big/small 🙂

I’ve noticed people putting aside clothing in different size sections! Always worth a trawl through the other sizes to find someone’s “stash”!

I love TK Maxx. As I never think ‘ohh, I must have x, y or z brand’, I just pop in and look for whatever – normally look around tees, zippy tops and shoes. I never look at jeans and stuff as I can never get them in the right length and couldn’t be bothered altering a pair of £15 jeans.

I have a pair of shoes I got from there last year and LOVE them. I will be gutted when they wear out ’cause they look great and always get commented on.

I really don’t see the point in buying a £100 Katherine Hamnett shirt from a boutique when I could gt one from there for £25. No-one I know is such an expert to have the foggiest. Most wouldn’t even recognise a brand name…

Depends how long you’ve got whether you do the whole shop or ‘target’ specifics, really. I have to say I do both, depending.

My wife and I also bought two really nice table lamps from there recently – we’ve been looking around for ages and couldn’t find anything we liked, then went to Maxx and found two. At a total cost of £75.

Barge in.

That he’s a preening ponce.

Quite right.

Lewins shirts are OK, but not all the cuts are available in all the collar sleeve combinations. I need 16.5 neck, 33 sleeve, semi fitted cut. Because, though I am short, I have a body like Adonis… 😉

And the quality isn’t all that, either. Still, far better than Pinks.

CFH – you work in London. You have choice. In the provinces things aren’t so easily available.

Recession over, I shall be at Frank Rostron’s place for a full complement of work shirts.

it’s cheap for a reason.

it’s cheap for a reason

Massive buying power ?

I got some Hi-Tech Event fabric walking boots for £12, they’re about £65 rrp!!

I also picked up a rear light for my bike for £3.

it’s cheap for a reason.

Yes, but those Chinese children make such a good job of the stitching with their nimble little fingers. 😉

We got a bike lock last summer. It fell to pieces before winter was in 🙁

I like the way they leave original prices on stuff to demonstrate the bargain you’re getting. CK shirts – were £110, you pay £17.

£110 my a55.

If i am passing a TK Max I always go in for a quick look, I have had some fantastic bargains and all top branded gear.

There is also loads of crappy stuff which other retailers have failed to get rid off, but in the main there is always something going for a song.

The best bargain I have had from TKM was a suit which had come from a top london shop, it still had the original tag attached inside one of the pockets £490 I paid £38 and another £40 for alterations at a tailers shop, 2 weddings and a court appearance (no it wasn’t my fault honest)and it is still in pristine condition.

Lewin shirts are lovely, they make up my working wardrobe these days. Lovely to iron as well.

I have several also, they are available north of Watford!

they make up my working wardrobe these days

err, not on their own, obviously!

lewin are crap in terms of shape. I have a slim fit shirt one size smaller from the collar and shoulders are a too long and you could fit two like me belly wise. Unless it’s me that has a weird shape but I don’t think so…
Oh and managed to buy a pair of nice jeans 40 in tkmaxx :d

it’s cheap for a reason.

So that snobby people won’t shop there?

mrsflash – Member
Lewin shirts are lovely, they make up my working wardrobe these days. Lovely to iron as well.

MrsF, I happen to know the person who was responsible for creating the women’s department at Lewins rather well. I shall pass on your comments!

juan – Member
lewin are crap in terms of shape. I have a slim fit shirt one size smaller from the collar and shoulders are a too long and you could fit two like me belly wise. Unless it’s me that has a weird shape but I don’t think so…

They’re cut for a rather more traditional British aristocratic build, Juan 😉

it’s cheap for a reason.

Yeah, a lot of the items I’ve looked at in there are obviously seconds, with quite glaring faults.
Good for a bargain, but give it a good going over first.

They’re cut for a rather more traditional British aristocratic build, Juan

Which one fatties? :p

The Maxx do have Crumpler bags in from time to time. I think last time I bought 2 for £30 total and sold one for £25. Result!!

yowsers you lot shop for brand name shirts,,,sooooooooo glad i dont have to wear a suit to work!