Scott Goss

The News Journal

Shoppers have less than two weeks to wait for Delaware's newest Marshalls and HomeGoods to open.

The discount brands are slated to cut a ribbon on their new combo store in Christiana on Oct. 20 – just in time to ramp up for the busy holiday shopping season.

Marshalls/HomeGoods will share a 44,637-square-foot anchor space in Phase II of the Christiana Fashion Center at Stanton Christiana Road and Del. 1, just south of the Christiana Mall. The new store is located across the street from Phase I retailers, such as The Container Store and Recreational Equipment Inc., better known as REI.

The combo location will have a separate entrance for each brand and "distinct store environments," while sharing an interior connection and the same checkout lines.

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Marshalls focuses on apparel for women, men and children, along with accessories, luggage and beauty products, while HomeGoods is a discount home fashions retailer. Both brands are owned by Massachusettes-based TJX Companies, which also operates T.J. Maxx and Sierra Trading Post, among others.

Marshalls and HomeGoods often have standalone locations, along with combo stores that are sometimes referred to as Marshalls Megastores. TJX Companies announced in May that it plans to more than double the number of individual brand and combo megastores in the United States to 5,600, although no timeline was given.

The Marshalls/HomeGoods slated to open in the Christiana Fashion Center will be one of about 200 stores the company will open this year – a 5 percent jump from its existing 3,700 stores.

The only combination Marshalls/HomeGoods now in Delaware is located at the Midway Shopping Center near the intersection of Kirkwood Highway (Del. 2) and Limestone Road (Del. 7). There is currently one standalone HomeGoods locations in Lewes, along with standalone Marshalls stores in Brandywine Hundred, outside Rehoboth Beach and a new Middletown location that opened in October.

TJX Companies spokeswoman Lisa Zahn said the company does not plan to close or relocate any of its existing stores in connection with the opening of the new combo location in the Christiana Fashion Center.

The new store will employ about 120 full- and part-time workers between them, although Zahn declined to disclose the starting pay rate and would not say whether all the positions have been filled.

"Our stores are always hiring," she said via email. "If there are candidates interested in applying, please speak with the store management."

The arrival of the new Marshalls/HomeGoods was first reported by The News Journal in June. At the same time, Destination XL Group Inc. announced it planned to close its Casual Male store on Kirkwood Highway and move employees there to a new store for its the big-and-tall chain Destination XL – more commonly known as DXL – in the Christiana Fashion Center that opened last month.

Other retailers and restaurants that have recently opened or soon will be coming to the shopping center include Raymour & Flanigan, Best Buy, Zoës Kitchen, Shake Shack and Ted's Montana Grill.

The Marshalls/HomeGoods store is slated to hold a grand opening from 8 to 10 a.m. on Oct. 20. Store hours will be from 9:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sundays.

Contact business reporter Scott Goss at (302) 324-2281, sgoss@delawareonline.com or on Twitter @ScottGossDel.