Christmas Tree Shops opens in time for holidays
BY DANIELLE MEDINA Correspondent

CHRIS KELLY staff Pat Pignatelli, Manchester, checks out some of the holiday items at the newly opened Christmas Tree Shops store on Route 70 recently.

BRICK TOWNSHIP — Shoppers looking for holiday items and other bargains flocked to Brick's newest retail hotspot last week when Christmas Tree Shops opened its doors for business.

"The opening went very well," store manager Brad Schaale said. "We've had a lot of traffic. There were a lot of customers anticipating the opening."

Christmas Tree Shops is the latest store to open in the township's new Parkway 70 Plaza, which also houses Brick's new Costco and Houlihan's restaurant.

"This location is ideal," Schaale said. "There is easy access from the Garden State Parkway and Route 195. And with all the new development, we'll get a lot of traffic into our store."

Schaale said that Christmas Tree Shops decided to put its fourth store in New Jersey — the others are in Cherry Hill, Freehold Township and Paramus — in Brick based on research.

"We did a lot of ZIP code capturing at our other locations," said Schaale. "Our customers wanted the store here, based on where they were coming from to visit our other stores."

Although the 45,000-square-foot store opened its doors on Nov. 10, Schaale said it was a "soft opening," allowing the store's 120 employees to work on customer service.

"We're opening in the heat of the season," said Schaale, who previously managed Christmas Tree Shops' Freehold store. "Our grand opening will be on Nov. 23."

While the original Christmas Tree Shops, which opened in Cape Cod more than 30 years ago, stocked only holiday items, the current store sells everything from home décor and furniture to health and beauty aids and toys at bargain prices.

"Don't you just love a bargain?" is the Christmas Tree Shops signature catchphrase.

"I come here for my paper products because they're better quality than the dollar store kind at a good price," said Howell resident Kim Askin. "I used to shop here for gifts when I lived in New England before everyone knew about it. It's a great place."

"Their seasonal stuff is priced much better than a lot of other stores," said Jennifer Finnegan of Howell. "Throughout the year, I come here for decorative items like picture frames."

Based in South Yarmouth, Mass., Christmas Tree Shops is a wholly owned subsidiary of Bed, Bath & Beyond. Harmon Face Values, which also opened last week at Parkway 70 Plaza, is also owned by Bed, Bath & Beyond.

"Customers return time and again to Christmas Tree Shops for the vast assortment of continuously changing product," Christmas Tree Shops president Todd Johnson said. "We are thrilled to be bringing the Christmas Tree Shops' experience to Brick and surrounding communities."

Christmas Tree Shops is located at 479 Route 70 east and is open 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week through Christmas.

On Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, the store will be open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.