We visited dozens of stores in 2018 - but these impressed us the most
TJ Maxx was among the best stores we visited this year.
TJ Maxx's parent company, TJX Companies, reported on November 20 that comparable sales were up 9% at TJ Maxx and Marshalls in the most recent fiscal quarter.
On a recent store visit, we found the off-price retailer was disorganized, but it was still cleaner and brighter than other similar stores, like Burlington.
It had a lot of high-quality, name brand products, and it was fun to shop at because of the treasure-hunt shopping experience it offered.
Kohl's was another one of the best stores we visited in 2018.
The Kohl's we went to in Jersey City, New Jersey, was spotlessly clean and well-organized.
There were shoppers in the store, but it wasn't so busy that there were long lines.
Kohl's reported that comparable sales were up 2.5% in the third quarter.
Its success is thanks to its locations in suburban strip malls, continued high demand for budget options, and its focus on e-commerce, such as its expanding partnerships with Amazon.
Dollar stores had a great year overall, and Five Below stood out from its competitors.
We shopped at Five Below locations in Queens and Manhattan.
In the third quarter of 2018, Five Below reported comparable sales grew by 4.8%. It opened 53 new stores this quarter, bringing its store count to 745.
The store was upbeat and fun to shop at.
It was cleaner and better organized than other dollar stores we visited, like Dollar General and Dollar Tree.
Five Below offered the treasure-hunt experience that dollar stores are loved for, but it was still easy to navigate.
It sells everything from cosmetics to electronics to candy, all for $5 or less.
Aerie was also one of the most impressive stores we visited this year. In the third quarter of 2018, comparable sales were up a whopping 32% for the brand.
Aerie is hugely popular with teens right now for a few reasons. In 2014, it swapped its airbrushed ads for unretouched photos and launched a body-positive campaign known as #AerieReal.
The store also places emphasis on cozy and comfortable clothing, which is a leading trend right now.
Aerie stores also generally offer a good experience for shoppers.
The Midtown Manhattan location of the store we visited was brightly lit, well-organized, and easy to navigate.
We visited dozens of stores in 2018 - but these impressed us the most
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- Read more in our Retailer of the Year series:
- Abercrombie removed its shirtless models and turned up the lights in stores, leading to the biggest retail comeback of the year
- We visited dozens of stores this year, and these were the messiest by far
- We visited a lot of department stores in 2018. Here's which one was the best to shop at.
- We compared the grocery-shopping experience at 6 major chains in 2018, and this one impressed us the most
- We ate dozens of meals at restaurant chains in 2018. Here are the 6 absolute best things to try right now.
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