Tonight, I had a revelation.
I love Target. I always have. I always will.
I take pride in being one of those girls who goes in for toothpaste, and comes out with $250 worth of new-found treasures I never knew I couldn’t live without.
But tonight…that unyielding swipe of my credit card went to someone else:
And it wasn’t the first time.
It was a simple “return” trip. The kind that I would frequently take to Target. I was bringing back an RL tablerunner I found over the weekend, which upon putting on my table, realized was about 24 inches too short.
So, on my way to the grocery store, I decided to stop by TJ’s and simply return the runner for the $12.99 I had paid. (okay, and maybe to check out a pair of boots that had caught my eye over the weekend, too. But that was it. Really. It was.)
And then I strolled. And saw some soap…
$4.99 for something that looks way cooler than some the brand-name stuff I’d find at Target? I mean, it’s “harvest bliss,” so I had to have it…
And an owl ($4.99).
And a green colander ($9.99).
And an absolutely necessary ceramic sugar holder ($6.99).
For a grand total of $26.96 +tax, I had found myself a pretty nice little combination of new home decor. Happy me. :)
Woah. Wait a second..did I? Yes, I did. I went to TJ Maxx for a return, and left spending twice as much as I was going to get back. Oops. I had just pulled a Target….
And then that scary idea came to my mind:
“Could Target Become MY SECOND Best?”
The answer? If for no other reason than I kinda get sick to my stomach just typing those words, I’m gonna say…not so much. Whew. Much better. But, each store does have its own reason for being (as in, being a large chunk of my credit card bill each month).
So, let’s take a look:
Target: So, if I rewind back to this weekend, the whole reason I went to TJ Maxx was to buy a new outdoor tablecloth for our patio furniture. Did I ever find that tablecloth? No. Because when you go to TJ Maxx, you never know what you’ll find. At Target, you know. You also know that you’re guaranteed to find things that are stylish and in-season. Not always the case with TJM. And, had I needed a tablecloth and some mascara, Target would have been my choice from the start. (if I did find a tube of mascara at TJM, I can’t say I would feel comfortable purchasing it…their beauty products tend to give me an old, thrift-store-esque vibe. ya know?)
TJ Maxx: The ultimate treasure hunt. Now, I may not wish to buy beauty products from there…but jeans – H*LL yes! At Target, you might find a fashion designer’s dumbed-down version of clothing, but at TJM, you get the real thing, at a great price! (my favorite pair of Joe’s is from there, actually). And that goes for everything, from Frye boots, to Peugot watches, to Calphalon cookware. Plus, while both stores offer a huge variety, at TJM, you can kind of think that what you’re finding is one-of-a-kind (or at least a whole lot closer).
In short, I couldn’t live without either one. They both have their purpose, and both have a huge presence in my home. And, frankly, that’s the way I like it. :)
So, for now…the rankings shall remain:
Target, #1
TJ Maxx, #2
Thoughts? Agree? Disagree?
Is there something even better out there??
Living Room 
