Cut away

Bargain hunters will find it pays to visit York's latest retailer, reports MAXINE GORDON

Discount retailer TK Maxx offers maximum fashion at minimum prices - and the good news is it opens in York today. A UK subsidiary of the American store giant TJ Maxx, the shop offers famous label fashions, gifts and items for your home at up to 60 per cent off the recommended retail price.

The new warehouse-style store, at Monks Cross, Huntington, York, has 50,000 items and with four new deliveries each week, stock is changing all the time.

TK Maxx represents a new face of shopping. Clothes are arranged in a practical way, according to category and size. You'll find rails of trousers, skirts, dresses, tops and jeans split into size 8, 10, 12 and so on. Bigger sizes are also included, with the range going up to 24. Bags, shoes, sports and swimwear are also available.

Our model, Lisa, is modelling high fashions for the 20-somethings. But there are clothes for both sexes and all ages at TK Maxx.

Its menswear is comprehensive: there is everything from casual to smart with racks of suits at less than £100. Childrenswear and toys will also prove popular, again because of the discounted prices.

And if clothes aren't your thing, there are toiletries, gift nick-nacks and items for your home on offer too - again at prices to make your bank manager smile.

Trolleys are by the entrance, and you are encouraged to take advantage of one. This way, arms are left free to rummage through the bargain rails for even more star finds.

The Evening Press was given a sneak preview of what the store has to offer, and can report that the prices live up to the hype.

Some of the best buys we found were:

Designer T-shirts from £5.99

Denim jackets at £24.99

Designer bags from £9.99

Men's designer shirts from £16.99

Rugs for your home from £7.99

Double duvet sets at £29.99

White bath towels reduced to £4.99 from £20

Bodum cafetiere at £9.99 previously £24.99.

TK Maxx doesn't like to shout too loud about the designer names it sells - for fear of upsetting the full-price retailer - but on our visit we saw the likes of Calvin Klein as well as French Connection, most at half-price or better.

So how does the store do it?

TK Maxx is an example of 'off-price' retailing, which is a concept imported from the States.

It offers a mix of current season designer and high street styles at huge discounts.

The price cuts are achieved through a combination of no-frills stores and a team of buyers securing deals with suppliers all year round.

To this end, the stores are pretty basic in their design and furnishings. There is no carpet in the dressing room - but you tend not to notice: you're too busy calculating the savings you are making.

The price tag on each garment tells you its history: it should have its full price and the discount price and should state if it is 'past season' or in some cases a 'second' - if that part is blank it means it is current season.

Another service the store offers is 'layaway', allowing you to hold an item for 30 days for a £3 discount - perfect if pay day is a week away.

Luckily for me, pay day is today, and I've seen a little denim jacket that's a must-have... hands off, I saw it first.

K Maxx is open every day: Monday-Friday 9.30am-8pm; Saturday 9am-6pm and Sunday 11am-5pm.

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