There’s no question that San Antonio loves a bargain store. If you’ve visited a TJ Maxx or HomeGoods in a booming shopping center, the lines backed up at the register were probably daunting. In fact, they’re long enough to send people right back out the door. But what can you do to avoid the hour-long wait and deal-hungry crowds?
The TJ Maxx location at The RIM shopping center on the Northside of San Antonio is a particularly sore spot for shoppers. While most talk highly of the cleanliness and organization of the aisles (What Maxxinista hasn’t been down an aisle in pure disarray at another location?), even glowing reviews are marred by the lengthy lines at the registers.
“My only negative, which by the way shows the popularity of this location, is the long, long, long lines on weekends and before any special holiday,” Carlos P. wrote in a 5-star review of The RIM location. “To counteract the crowds, there is a very organized check out line which usually consists of 8 to 9 cashiers who keep the line moving in a timely fashion.”
Wait times of up to an hour have been complained about ad nauseam, with many folks saying they walked into the store only to turn right back around after seeing lines stretch past the typical boundaries and wrap around an aisle. For others, the deals nabbed – whether needed or not – were simply too good to pass up, but certainly still frustrating enough to include in their reviews.
According to people online who claim to be employees, the lines are a symptom of the very shoppers complaining. Apparently, chaotically grabbing items only to abandon them on some random shelf mid-shopping means staffers are constantly working to keep the store from descending into disarray. Those glowing reviews of the organization at TJ Maxx at The RIM may come at a cost: a long checkout line.
“We are grateful for the loyalty and support of our San Antonio customers. At TJ Maxx, we strive to provide our customers with an enjoyable shopping experience as they discover the great values, brand names, and exciting finds that make every trip a treasure hunt,” the company told MySA. “We appreciate our customers’ patience and understanding when they encounter long check-out lines during busy shopping periods. We are proud to be part of the San Antonio community and thank our customers for choosing to shop with us.”
The company didn’t respond to questions about how to beat or avoid the lines.
And it’s not just this store riddled with frustrated comments about long lines. The Bandera Road location, on the Far Northwest Side of San Antonio in the Braun’s Farm shopping center, is another driver of negative reviews.
“Took me an hour and a half to get through the line. Had 10 registers but only 2 cashiers working,” Rita T. said in her 1-star review. “It’s like this every time I go.”
To combat this time suck, experienced TJ Maxx enthusiasts recommend hitting the stores in the morning on weekdays. Weekdays between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. are considered the “golden hours,” but Tuesday and Wednesday are specifically earmarked by aficionados as the best days to avoid the lines.
For those working 9 to 5, that can be quite the challenge unless you’re willing to use up some PTO for a TJ Maxx tour. Instead, folks say a weekday between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. can feel less crowded as well. But just about every tipster will say: Avoid the stores between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. if you’re worried about long checkout lines.