[EXCLUSIVE] TJX to Bring Homesense and Sierra Stores to Metro Atlanta Community

With one Georgia store open and another on the way, we now have confirmation that a third Homesense store is planned for metro Atlanta!  Well-placed retail sources have told ToNeTo Atlanta for weeks and planning documents now confirm, that a new Homesense is planned for Buford near the Mall of Georgia. 

Framingham, Massachusetts-based TJX Cos., the parent company of Homesense, plans to bring the off-price home furnishings retailer to the former Bed Bath & Beyond store in The Marketplace at Mill Creek, a large shopping center across the street from Mall of Georgia, just off I-85.  The space is roughly 34,000 square feet and has been vacant since Bed Bath & Beyond closed in 2023.    

Georgia's first Homesense store opened this past May at Kedron Village in Peachtree City.  Metro Atlanta's first Homesense is under construction in North Point Marketcenter, a large shopping center at 6050 North Point Parkway near North Point Mall in Alpharetta.  ToNeTo Atlanta first reported on the Alpharetta store this past January and we have learned the store is expected to open in November.  

Thus far all three Georgia stores occupy former Bed Bath & Beyond locations.  

Having visited one Homesense store, the concept would best be described as the yin to HomeGoods' yang.  The two have a symbiotic relationship in the same way that shoppers visit both TJ Maxx and Marshalls for similar but different reasons.  Homesense, in our visits, seemed to have wider varieties of lighting and home decor but less food and small goods than HomeGoods stores.  In the Marketplace at Mill Creek, Homesense joins fellow TJX Cos. (NYSE: TJX) brand Marshalls with other sibling brands TJ Maxx and HomeGoods sharing a space in nearby Mall of Georgia Crossing.  

Sierra, the only TJX brand not yet in metro Atlanta, came to Georgia in 2024 with a store in McDonough, and will also open in Buford, but in the old REI.  The REI store measures about 21,000 square feet and had been an anchor in the center since 2003 before it closed early this year.  

Essentially, Sierra offers a similar shopping experience to TJ Maxx but focused on outdoor equipment, apparel, and accessories.  A shopper accustomed to REI may not be attracted to Sierra, but some will find their pricing of "up to 65% off department and specialty stores" appealing enough to give 'em a shot.    

"this isn’t necessarily a store for all those wanting very technical equipment or products; but for casual outdoors people it’s a great place to treasure hunt", said Neil Saunders,  Managing Director and Retail Analyst at GlobalData Retail, in a 2024 LinkedIn post. 

In Buford, Homesense and Sierra are now the latest businesses to be attracted to the area with ToNeTo Atlanta having reported in May that Fogo de Chao is opening a new restaurant in place of the old On The Border, and in June that Portillo's is opening a new location on the site of the former Romano's Macaroni Grill.   

Have you ever been to a Homesense store?  Are you excited about the opening of Homesense in Buford? Where else in metro Atlanta would you like to see a Homesense store open?  

Please share your thoughts below.