ATHENS-TJ Maxx will celebrate the opening of its Athens store with music, fashion and community support.
The Athens store grand opening will be Sunday, April 21, at 7 a.m. The store is located at 1061 Kelli Drive south
of U.S. 72 (behind Wendy’s).
Store officials said festivities will include a live DJ inside and outside of the store, the Athens High School Band,
and a fashion show that will begin around 7:30 a.m. The ribbon cutting will be around 8 a.m. and will include a
donation to Habitat for Humanity of the River Valley.
The public is invited to attend the grand opening festivities. The store will open for shopping after the ribbon
cutting ceremony.
Athens Mayor Ronnie Marks said the additional shopping option meets a need expressed by residents and
helps grow the City’s sales tax base.
For the Athens 2040 comprehensive plan, community and stakeholder groups and retail research indicated
Athens experiences sales tax leakage in clothing sales compared to other markets. While Downtown Athens
specialty shops offer highly customized merchandizing to meet consumer needs, there has been a lack of
discount department clothing stores. The research specifically mentioned TJ Maxx and Ross.
“Sales tax makes up about 40 percent of our revenue so shopping local supports fire and police services,
sanitation, parks, paving and other needs,” Marks said. “The more options we provide in Athens from small
businesses to major chains, the less sales tax dollars leave our Athens.”
Noon Real Estate, LLC, broke ground on the TJ Maxx shopping center in the summer of 2023. Other stores that
will open soon include Ross Dress for Less, Ulta, Five Below and Rack Room Shoes.
The shopping center project will create 125 new jobs and generate annual taxable sales of about $20 million.
"The introduction of TJ Maxx to our community isn't merely about adding another store, it's about enriching our
shopping landscape, fostering economic vitality, and enhancing our collective quality of life,” said Pammie
Jimmar, president of the Athens-Limestone County Chamber of Commerce. “It's a testament to our growth in
Athens-Limestone County."
