Store review: Ross Dress for Less

You will hear me talk many MANY times in this blog about Value City, a now defunct discount department store which had 113 stores in Ohio and surrounding states (more info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Value_City).  I know it sounds weird, but when VC closed for good at the end of 2008, it was as if a part of me closed with it.  My mom and I would love to go take a Mother/Daughter day out on Fridays (my day off) and “dive in” to the huge amount of clothing, shoe and accessories, spending several hours finding great deals and bonding ♥ And the clearance racks were like a treasure trove of unbelievable deals waiting to be found.  It took some time and sorting, but we would always come out with some great buys.  For example, we got some beautiful dresses for church for $25 and under, I got some outstanding clothes for work (one time I got an amazing pant suit for $16!), and the shoes, oh the shoes.  Where would we be able to find deals like $5 party dresses, $8 designer jeans, $10 designer shoes again?

A little over a year later, a new store opened nearby called “Ross, Dress for Less”.  I always give each discount department store a chance, so off my Mom and I went.  Boy, am I glad we did.  Nothing will ever compare to Value City, but Mom and I agree that Ross definitely comes closer than any other discount department store out there.  Although the stores are not as big as the Value Cities we frequented, the values are really quite the same.  Name brand and designer merchandise at deep discounts, especially if you are fortunate enough to catch a great find on clearance.  For instance, I got this pair of Tommy Hilfiger shoes for $6.49 on clearance (regularly $60)!

And this cute pair of Jessica Simpson jeans for $6.99 (regularly $70)! 

I also got the hubby this Tommy jacket for a steal at $14.99 (regularly $85)!

This is a store you will want to spend quite some time in, as colors and styles are scattered throughout the racks. Also new stock comes in frequently and the racks get pretty full, so it may take some time to find that sweet deal.  I also recommend looking in sizes other than your own, as sometimes items get put in the wrong spots (that’s how I found my Tommy shoes listed above, they were in the 8 1/2 size area, I wear 9 1/2).  Lastly, sometimes the clearance is difficult to find.  Look for the red signs, usually at the end of racks (for clothes) and the lower shelves (for shoes, though I've found on several instances clearance shoes are mixed in with the regular priced ones).  I highly recommend this store, as I got to say it’s my new favorite :-)  FYI: Tuesdays and Wednesdays are the best days to shop, less people plus most Ross stores do markdowns on Mondays and Tuesdays.  Happy deal hunting :-)