T J Hughes is labelled as a discount department store and that would be an accurate description in my experience. I have visited three stores to date (Kettering, Doncaster and Coventry) and they have all been more a less the same in appearance and the stock that they sell. T J's as they are ... Read review
Advantages: Cheap, Usually in a shopping centre, quality bargains snapped up quickly Disadvantages: Lacking in consistency and service
T J Hughes is labelled as a discount department store and that would be an accurate description in my experience. I have visited three stores to date (Kettering, Doncaster and Coventry) and they have all been more a less the same in appearance and the stock that they sell. T J's as they are often called originated in Liverpool and have 37 stores at the moment concentrated in Merseyside, Lancashire, Yorkshire and the West Midlands so if you live in ... ...I have found two Nike t shirts for five pounds and then another time all they have is cheap Gola stuff. The stuff they do is mainly for use in Athletics and Football but they don't do any accessories to do with sports whatsoever, surprising considering the connection they have with JJB sports.
Linens
They do a variety of duvets, curtains, towels, sheets and the like but they aren't particulary good quality and can be ... more
T J Hughes is labelled as a discount department store and that would be an accurate description in my experience. I have visited three stores to date (Kettering, Doncaster and Coventry) and they have all been more a less the same in appearance and the stock that they sell. T J's as they are often called originated in Liverpool and have 37 stores at the moment concentrated in Merseyside, Lancashire, Yorkshire and the West Midlands so if you live in the South of the country you'd be forgiven for never having heard of them. They have had financial troubles and been subject to a takeover by JJB Sports so their future looks more solid seen as the JJB owner is one of the richest men in the country. The departments include a perfume/aftershave counter, cosmetics section, menswear, ladieswear, sportswear, shoes and trainers, linens, electrical, toys, bags and accessories and garden. The stock itself is mostly branded items at knock-down prices, this is stock that they have bought on the cheap from larger companies so sometimes it is end of line, out of season or seconds. The lay out of their shops is adequate but don't expect luxurious 'Debenhams' style displays as they are in a complete different ball park in that regard. You gets what you pay for as they say.
The departments are a bit hit and miss, some can have some real bargains and some are definately demanding of a detour, I'll attempt to point you in the right direction using my experiences with them.
Perfumes and Aftershaves;
All of the top names in scent can be found behind the counter and at a much cheaper price than the likes of Boots. My missus likes Anais Anais and got a cheap bottle for under a tenner and I have bought a Fahrenheit gift set for ten pounds, very good value I think you'll agree. This is a particular busy part of the shop especially at Christmas so bargains can be snapped up quick sharp. At present they are doing Diesel gift sets for men at a fiver, a good early Christmas present!
Cosmetics;
I haven't visited this section for obvious reasons but I have noticed that it gets incredibly busy. Swarms of ladies can be seen fighting over cut price lip sticks and mascara sticks by the top names such as Dior and Arden. The lay out leaves a lot to be desired though, they are usually in shopping baskets on tables!
Lingerie;
Another section I haven't used but end up walking past hehe. They do Gossard and Playtex wonderbras at prices much cheaper than your average chain store. I have been told that they do a wide variety of sizes so if your big-boobed and find it difficult to find bras than you could check this section out. Be prepared for the jumble-sale style layout though.
Bags and Accesories
This section is mostly full of fake Italian style leather handbags and cheap sunglasses. My missus did pick up a Suzy Smith handbag though once and she said that it was a good name, I cannot confirm this of course.
Baggage
This is quite a good section especially if your suitcases are on their last legs like mine are. I noticed the last time that I was in there that they had a designer 3 piece suitcase set (Pierre Cardin) for fifty notes, much cheaper than the likes of Debenhams.
Garden
The Garden department disappears from time to time depending on what time of year it is but again it's worth a look at. They do cut price McCulloch petrol mowers, barbeque sets, garden furniture, gazebos, outside lighting etc. It is good quality gear and much cheaper than B&Q.
Menswear
The style hardly appeals to youngsters but you can find some bargains from time to time. For example sometimes I have had a look round and found nothing but rubbish and then another I picked up 2 decent pairs of Hamnett jeans for twenty notes (usually sixty quid each!). They do a lot of older male stuff such as Farah trousers, Millets-style fleeces and Polo shirts.
Sportswear
This section is again inconsistent. I have found two Nike t shirts for five pounds and then another time all they have is cheap Gola stuff. The stuff they do is mainly for use in Athletics and Football but they don't do any accessories to do with sports whatsoever, surprising considering the connection they have with JJB sports.
Linens
They do a variety of duvets, curtains, towels, sheets and the like but they aren't particulary good quality and can be found cheaper at places like Argos, John Lewis and TK Maxx. Another stumbling block here is the difficulty in finding matching sheets with duvets with curtains etc etc so this is one section I happily pass over.
Shoes
This is probably the worst area of the shop. They don't do any brands and are in comparison to cheap plastic shoes you find in places like Shoe Zone or Shoe City. Considering this, they aren't particulary cheap either. TK Maxx knock spots off them in this area.
Toys
Again another area which isn't the best. They do a lot of unbranded, cheap looking toys which are obviously cast-offs from bigger stores who couldn't sell them either. If my nephew is anything to go by kids are very picky when it comes to toys.
Electrical
This is where you can pick up some real bargains. George Foremans for a tenner, Dysons at cut price and a whole host of cut price DVD players, TV/Video combo's, Kettles, Irons and Microwaves. I have bought three items in my local store and have had no problems with any of them. Recommended.
Household
Another good area of the shop with lots of bargains such as branded dinner sets for thirty quid, branded saucepans, cutlery and kitchen items. Again I have bought from this department on a regular basis and have been pleased with my purchases.
The overall verdict ?
As you can see from scanning through the departments the shop is very hit and miss. The service is hit and miss too, sometimes you get good service and other times your lucky to get two words out of someone. I have had to return a top once because it was damaged and it was exchanged, no questions asked so I cannot critisize in that regard. There policy would appear to be exchange as long as you have a full reciept. If your after service then this shop isn't for you but if you just want a bargain in cheap and cheerful surroundings then you can't go wrong. I would recommend you look around if youv'e never visited before because you can definately save yourself money. Personally I don't mind if I have to queue longer and don't receive service with a smile as long as they don't charge me the earth for what I want! If you live near one of the 37 stores, you will often find that they put flyers in the local paper detailing their current deals and it's worth keeping an eye on if you have a purchase pending.
Hardly the retailer of the year but theres probably something in there for you.
Advantages: Plenty of bargains to be found, well known brand names Disadvantages: Sometimes a little messy and unorganised
TJ Hughes is, according to its website, THE big discount department store. And who am I to argue with that summary? There are currently 50 TJ Hughes stores across the UK and they're well worth a visit if you're looking for premium brands at up to 70% off the RRP.
I've visited a few branches of TJ Hughes over the years and the products stocked and the layouts are usually very similar. Now, whilst technically it is a department store, don't expect ... ...as you walk past. Similarly, the electrical department isn't staffed by men in suits and the clothes aren't sparsely displayed on heavy wooden coat hangers. Usually when I hear 'department store,' these are the images that come to mind as I recall visits to Debenhams, John Lewis and House of Fraser stores. So perhaps I should point out that TJ Hughes isn't like any of the aforementioned department stores. Imagine the poorer, slightly chav cousin ...
nicolemorgan 27.09.2008
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of T J Hughes (Shop)
Advantages: cheap beauty products & good lingerie Disadvantages: everything else.
I thought for a long time about how I could follow the prize-winning Primark review. Should I really attempt to write another op on a shop (ooh, a rhyme!) since that last one was, quite obviously, beginners luck. Then it struck me, it was probably best to continue my string of 'cheap shops with bad reputations' and get myself a reputation. So I decided to do another op exposing somewhere that most of us consider a hangout for the local Saga contingent.
... ...and the most well-known one is the Liverpool store. I believe that was the first, but don't quote me. With grandparents from Merseyside, I've been dragged in there a good few times, but my local TJ's is actually in Kidderminster (home of the revered Kiddy Harriers FC, and the best carpets in the Midlands). That shop is the one I'm basing this op on.
TJ Hughes tend to buy in end-of-line stock, sometimes ex-catalogue stuff, and odd foreign labels. ...
PrincessGem 30.07.2003
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of T J Hughes (Shop)
This review is on that great old British shop, I hate to admit known only as TJ Hughes. This only arrived in Plymouth only about 2 years ago, in the shop that was once occupied by Littlewoods. I got a new mobile telephone in there at the start of this week (on Sunday), and on telling people this in work on the Monady I was asked if I was awakening my inner Chav - I won't say any more about this. On entering the shop, I was greeted by a mass of cheap ... ...even cheaper as for those of you don't admit to shopping in there like me you will know that Hughes (as it is known in Plymouth) is no more than a bargain basement type shop. Top name brands for about 10% of the usual selling price, alongside anything that just doesn't have a chance of selling anywhere else. Past the cheaper items, I encountered the 'smellies' (perfume) department. Any respectable bloke like me will have no doubt at some point been ...
dynamicnurse 16.02.2008
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of T J Hughes (Shop)
Advantages: Top brand names at cheap prices. Disadvantages: None.
The branch that I am reviewing is in Plymouth, which has only been open for less than a month. What do they sell? Men's and women's (and kids'!) clothes); outdoor equipment for the garden and for camping; perfume; music (both in CD and in DVD form); films (again in both video and DVD form); household equipment (soft furnishings; hoovers; record players and the like), and seasonal items - at present, everything that can be sold with an England St ... ...Wolrd Cup is also on sale from bath and beach towels to passport covers. What are their prices like? I was draw-droppingly-pick-it-up-to-drop-it-again-amazed! Up to 70% off, for example Chanel perfume that is rrp at around £25 is on offer for £8 - I know, tell me about it! And that is just for starters as they have good deals on like 2 tops for £10, and so on. But they don't just have season sales - this i round the clock type stuff. Is everything ...
danthepianoman 17.04.2006
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of T J Hughes (Shop)
Advantages: Bargains to be had Disadvantages: Looks a bit scruffy
Now owned by JJB Sports, TJ Hughes had its beginnings in Liverpool and has expanded to over 30 locations across the country.
It advertises itself as a “Quality Discount Department Store” and I suspect that many people do not shop there because it is a discount store. But someone must be shopping there as they seem to be doing quite nicely.
They do indeed stock some quality brands and a lot of other recognised brands, examples include Dyson, Hoover ... ...it delivers. There are bargains to be had and I have picked them up in electrical goods and perfumes.
It also qualifies on being a department store and stocks; Ladieswear, Menswear, Household Goods, Electrical Goods, Cosmetics and Perfumes.
TJ Hughes is one of those stores I find it good to cruise occasionally. It’s not somewhere I would usually go with a specific purchase in mind, although they do advertise their current bargains prolifically ...
Mojoly 06.07.2003
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of T J Hughes (Shop)
Layout & presentation
Selection & range
In store customer service
Staff knowledge
Waiting / queues
Similar reviews »
Reviews which might be of interest for "T J Hughes (Shop)"
shopping destinations, and each of the centres contain a similar range of “cheapy” shops – T. J. Hughes, Peacocks (again!), Lidl (again!), Mark One, Poundstretcher and the like.
Just in case that last paragraph was not snobby enough for you, here’s the other reason they can keep their costs down. The shopping experience in Wilkinson is not pleasant, and somewhat basic to say the least. Despite the Bournemouth store being no more than a couple of years old, all the shop fittings look like they came straight out of the 1980s – metal checkouts with non-moving conveyor belts, and shelving units that are shabby and basic. I would not be surprised if these had actually been acquired second hand from a more well-known chain who have refurbished their stores, and loosely rebranded as Wilkinson (i.e. adding a touch ...
