Shoppers Occupy New TJ Maxx Store on Wall Street

NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- TJ Maxx's(TJX) Wall Street grand opening had a bigger obstacle than cash-strapped shoppers on Thursday. In order to even get to the new store located right across from the New York Stock Exchange you first had to navigate a throng of Occupy Wall Street protesters.

The Occupy Wall Street movement, which on Thursday decided to attempt to shut down the NYSE, was both the biggest obstacle and biggest excitement for the store opening.

"People are most excited to get through the barricades," said one TJ Maxx salesperson who was greeting shoppers with "I heart TJ" bags. "One woman ran in and exclaimed, 'I made it!'"

At 10 a.m., the store had a trickle of shoppers who dared to brave the crowd outside. Sales associates were abundant, with those at the jewelry counter saying "we need customers."

"So far traffic is better than expected, but it's mostly people who work in the building," said one of the elevator operators.

But TJ Maxx's biggest patron this morning seemed to be police officers on break from keeping a sense of order to the Occupy Wall Street protest.

-- Reported by Jeanine Poggi in New York.

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