A.J. Wright
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| Subsidiary | |
| Industry | Retail |
| Fate | Some stores converted to either T.J. Maxx, Marshalls or HomeGoods, other stores closed beginning late January to early February |
| Founded | 1998 |
| Defunct | 2011 |
| Headquarters | Framingham, Massachusetts |
| Products | Clothing, footwear, bedding, furniture, jewelry, beauty products, and housewares. |
| Parent | TJX Companies |
| Website | www.aj-wright.com |
AJWright (formerly formatted as A.J. Wright until 2009) was a chain of about 129American retail/outlet stores established in 1998 and owned by TJX Companies. Like its sister company T.J. Maxx, AJWright sold clothing, domestics, giftware, footwear, accessories, and fragrances at prices between twenty and seventy percent below regular prices. AJWright differed from other TJX chains by refreshing its merchandise on a regular basis. For most stores, new shipments arrived every weekday. In early 2011, TJX closed the chain's remaining stores and converted some stores to other TJX brands.
Although AJWright's primary target market was moderate-income families, its recent expansion drew additional consumer groups. The company's community service strategy centered on monetary donations to the Boys and Girls Club of America and other affiliates.
AJWright opened its first six stores in the northeastern region of the United States in the fall of 1998. The first three stores – located in the towns of Brockton, Somerville, and Malden, Massachusetts – were opened simultaneously on September 20 of that year. During the initial openings, Johnson & Wales University's marketing director, Mark Neckes, approved of AJWright; he stated that AJWright strengthens TJX's coverage of urban markets, an area "where people need a place to shop [and] a place where retailers understand what people are looking for".
AJWright continued to open new stores as its customer base increased. By 2000, AJWright operated 25 stores across the United States; by December 2001, the number had increased to 40. The chain opened an additional 112 stores by the end of 2005, bringing its total to 152; however, this number fluctuated due to store closures. In 2006, one business article stated that AJWright was "in the red" and that TJX needed to "figure out the future of its newer divisions, the less profitable AJWright and HomeGoods stores and the non-off-price Bob’s Stores". Therefore, the company chose to focus on lowering the rapid expansion of the chain.
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