All Over Albany

A.J. Wright: discount shopping and... Gucci?

You've probably noticed the ads for A.J. Wright on the CDTA buses around town. The company just opened a new store in Westgate Plaza last week (it already had stores in Troy and Schenectady). I had an idea of what to expect -- they're owned by the same company that owns Marshall's and TJ Maxx.

And then I saw the Gucci bag.

A.J. Wright is very similar to a smaller and even-more-discounted TJ Maxx. There are clothes for women, men, and kids, plus shoes, luggage, handbags, house wares and decorations, linens, toys, and a few really random things (like barrels of popcorn and cheese curls, nail polish, and portable cassette players).

As with most of these discount retailers, you have to be willing to rummage a bit, optimistic but prepared for the whole trip to be a bust. For example, all the jeans are together so you'll have to skim the racks for your size. The women's section is the largest, followed by men's and kids and infants.

A.J. Wright is also one of the few places that I know of that still does layaway ($10 or 10% down, whichever is greater, with 30 day pickup).

There are some brand names (Rocawear, Charter Club, Ann Taylor, Sag Harbor) but many more brands I didn't recognize at all. Some items are from last season and marked as such on the tags -- not that you could tell, though. I mean, does a black cashmere sweater ever really go out of style? Also, I noticed that some of the kids' things, like undershirts, were marked slightly irregular (again, not that anyone could tell how from the packaging).

It's a decent place to shop if you want no-frills basics and don't feel like making the trek to the mall. Having out of town guests and realize you're a pillow short? Kids need socks? A toy for a last-minute birthday party gift? If you're in the neighborhood anyway, it's worth the trip.

Worth a look: the handbags section (tends toward trendy in the $10 to $40 range), girls' Rothschild down coats for $24.99, a Charter Club cashmere sweater for $7.99, Leila queen sheets set for $9.99, and that Gucci purse (?!?) for $499.99.