If you’re hoping to browse for books during your next shopping trip, there are usually three places worth checking around the store: near the stationery, the children’s section, and the checkout line.
This is where I’ve found the largest selection of adult fiction. Based on all of the different locations I’ve been to and from what I’ve seen online, this seems to be pretty consistent across the board. If there’s one area to spot books in these stores, it will be here.
It’s common to see authors like Emily Henry, Rebecca Yarros, and Fredrik Backman alongside other recent bestsellers. Every now and then, a few young adult novels make their way into these shelves as well. I’ve spotted books by Tahereh Mafi and Cassandra Clare mixed in with the adult titles.
This is usually where the children’s books live. I’ve found everything from picture books to early readers and middle grade series, including The Baby-Sitters Club series and the I Survived series.
This section tends to feature a smaller selection that’s perfect for impulse purchases. This might also be hit or miss depending on how your store is organized. I’ve been to some locations where there were no books in the checkout line at all and others where there were only children’s books. In my experience, it’s most typically adult fiction, although I’ve occasionally spotted children’s picture books waiting in line as well (and a top someone decided they didn’t want that I didn’t move out of the way).
Over the past month or so, these are some of the books I’ve spotted while browsing:
A question I keep asking myself while browsing the shelves is how so many recognizable books ended up at TJ Maxx and Marshalls in the first place. The answer might be down to the way books are published and distributed. Publishers estimate how many copies they think a title will sell, but it’s impossible to predict demand perfectly. Sometimes they print more copies than readers ultimately buy, while other times bookstores order more than they can sell and return the extras. Rather than letting those books remain in storage, publishers and distributors often sell the remaining inventory to off-price retailers at a discount. That’s why it’s possible to stumble across everything from bestselling thrillers to popular BookTok novels, children’s classics, and even the occasional collector’s edition while shopping. These stores aren’t ordering books the way a bookstore would; they might be buying whatever overstock is available at the time. As a result, the selection is constantly changing and often feels completely random.
For more on this discussion check out this TikTok from @rachaelsreads who talks about this surge in books at bargain stores. Her video is specifically about Dollar Tree, however, it’s likely the same reasons extend to stores like TJ Maxx and Marshalls.
One thing I’ve learned from checking these stores and sections regularly is that inventory changes constantly. A book that wasn’t there one week may suddenly appear the next, while another disappears just as quickly. Half the fun is never quite knowing what you’ll find.
Vanshikha Vij, Pine Reads Review Writer