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Target Super Market in Tyler Texas

February 5th, 2010

TARGET

7003 S. Broadway Ave
Tyler TX, 75703
Phone #: 903 939 1900
Opening hours: Mon-Sat 8am-10pm
Sun 8am – 9pm

Target stores are nationwide department stores which sell clothing, shoes, jewelry, health and beauty products, electronics, CD and DVDs, bedding, kitchen items, sporting goods, toys, pet food, automotive supplies and hardware. They also carry seasonal merchandise such as patio furniture during the summer and a large selection of decorations for every budget at Christmas. Tyler Target also has a pharmacy and a photo center.

As you enter Target the first thing that hits you is the delicious smell of popcorn. There is a small café on the right of the store as you enter. On the left is a budget area where you can buy seasonal items like toys and party favors for a dollar. Once you pass this you are entering the clothing department. The fashions are low priced and subsequently, low quality, but are still very popular. The lingerie and sports wear include brand names and are reasonably priced. Target also stocks quite a selection of bags and accessories plus some jewelry.

The housewares and home décor sold by Target are much more attractive than those sold at Walmart. Their team of designers are brilliant at making the ordinary look cool and contemporary. There is an extensive toy and game department and well-stocked baby section. Target is a favorite for baby and wedding gift registries.  You can print registry lists on dedicated red computers just inside the door.

The food sold at Target is limited but they do have their own brand of foodstuffs called Archers Farm which are great quality and in general, of high nutritional value. They have regular discounts on these items and details of these and other offers can be found in their weekly circular newspaper. In addition Target have their own brand of toiletries and household consumables – now called ‘Up and up’ (look for the white labels with arrows) – they claim to compare to the best selling brands and are usually at least 10% cheaper. Look for orange colored price labels throughout the store for clearance prices.

Finally, Target has a selection of cards and party goods for all occasions at a range of prices, and a photo center near the exit. If you use an internet service like Shutterfly you can order prints online and pick them up at Target.

One negative thing about Target is their return policy. They are only required to take things back with a receipt – even if the item is labelled as a Target exclusive. The moral of the story is that you should always keep your receipts and ask for a gift receipt if you are buying presents for someone else.

Target.com is a good place to look for bargains and they have things that are not always available in store. However, you need to watch for shipping costs – there is no ‘site to store’ free shipping which is such a bonus at Walmart.com.

Target sells such a wide variety of goods that they are the biggest seller of giftcards in the USA. We bought some for our nephews and nieces at Christmas and were impressed to find cards that light up and sing for the recipients! They are always well received…

Cinderbella’s Boutique

January 28th, 2010
Tyler Texas Children's Clothing at Cinderbella's

Cinderbella's

3400 S Broadway Ave
Tyler Texas 75701
903 266 9162
hours: Mon-Sat 10 am – 5:30

This shop opened last year and is a delight to many a parent who loves to dress their little one in nice cute things but doesn’t always have the funds to buy them new.

This well laid out and spacious shop has an area in the back for good quality, gently used consigned goods and the rest of the store contains new items. Although this consignment store is fairly large already they will be moving into a much large facility close to where Lifeway Christian Bookstore used to be in the same shopping strip. This will give them much more room to offer many more children’s clothes they would like to have available for sale.

Many of the new items are hand made or have motifs which can be made to order. There are bows here too – just in case you are the sort of Mom who likes to have matching accessories for their child.

The thing that struck me immediately as I walked in the door was that this is a boutique for little girls. Sure there are items for boys too but this is the place for very girly girls! 

It is a perfect place for grandmothers to buy cutsie outfits for their beloved little ones and a great place to buy that non essential but oh-so-lovely outfit or accessory for a friend who is expecting their first little girl. As I browsed, I could almost hear the exclamations of friends at a baby shower as gifts were unwrapped!

The thing that caught my eye, as a more practical person, was the shoes. Here you can buy new shoes which are excellent quality and really individual. The leather was so soft, I’m sure they would be perfect for little feet. There was a half price sale when I was shopping too so it didn’t seemed too expensive.

In the rear of the store are the consigned goods. These are definitely upscale too. 

Cinderbella's Store hours

Cinderbella's Store hours

 They are nicely arranged in size and gender so you can look through them without hassle.

The impression I got from this store was attention to detail. Not just in the type of clothes for sale but in the way everything was presented. The lady at the checkout was really helpful and I’m sure she loves what she does, which makes the whole shopping experience at Cinderbella’s a really nice one.

Casa Ole Mexican Restaurant – Tyler

January 24th, 2010

Casa Ole Mexican Restaurant is located at 5105 S Broadway Ave., Tyler, Texas. This is a restaurant that looks quaint inside and out and is similar to an old time restaurant building in Mexico. Casa Ole

The waiters and waitresses are so friendly and congenial. When we have gone to eat there they have been very nice to make your order custom if you are needing to substitute different menu items. The menus are built to reflect the amount of food you want and what you want to pay for. An example is: “uno” would be one enchilada, with Spanish rice and refried beans…..”dos” would be two enchiladas, with Spanish rice and refried beans.

There is a small difference in the price but their prices are very economical. For two people you can have a nice meal and spend less than $20.00. The restaurant serves rainbow sherbet for dessert as a complimentary item.

Even if the time of day is noon which is customarily the busy part of the day they will get you seated and served in a fraction of the time that other places take. If you are looking for good Mexican food, wonderful service and economical price Casa Ole is the place to go.

Ross Dress For Less

January 21st, 2010

Ross Dress For Less

4943 S Broadway Ave
Tyler TX
903 534 0027

Open M-S 9.30am-9.30pm
Sun 11-8pm

Ross is a great store for bargain hunters. Here you can find designer and brand name clothes for every member of your family at half the usual department store or boutique prices.

Come prepared to hunt though – in Tyler the word has got round that Ross has good deals and the clothes have often been rooted through by many a shopper and may not be in the right size aisle. The mess gets worse towards the end of the shopping day!

Ross has really nice baby items at low prices, perfect for baby gifts as well as for your own munchkin, and the shoe section is well worth looking through – especially for children’s sneakers. There is also a selection of lingerie and the maternity clothes are some of the best value and style I have seen.

They have great bags, purses and other accessories too, all at much reduced prices.

Fashions aren’t the only bargain. Ross has a wonderful home section. I love to browse in the kitchen area looking at the dinnerware, pots and pans and cookware. They carry such nice stuff! There are also good deals on seasonal items, baskets of various shapes and sizes, small items of furniture and pictures. If you are looking for a nice photo frame, Ross has a good selection. The price stickers come easily off the glass with nailpolish remover. Actually, there are quite a few nice gifty items for the home.

I have never personally braved the bedding, towel or drapery section but am sure there are bargains to be had there too. Oh and there are towels, lots of towels.

Ross is worth checking out if you need to buy a ‘man gift’ – there are lots of ideas and there are some good children’s toys and books too, though I have found that the boxes are often damaged which may give the wrong impression if you are buying a present for someone else’s kid.

The store itself is not very tidy or organized and you may wait in line at the check-out longer than you would like – especially at Christmas – but I guess this is one of the ways that Ross manages to make savings and offer items at lower than average prices. You may not take the carts out of the shop either so don’t park too far away if you’re planning on buying big items. One thing that does annoy me is that they don’t have automatic doors – I always have a stroller as well as my shopping bags and it always seems hard to get out of the shop! I guess that makes it rather inaccessible for the handicapped too.

All that to say, Ross is a great shop. They have new shipments at least every other day so if you like bargain hunting you’ll need to check back regularly frequently. Relax, there’s a Starbucks across the parking lot!
Oh, one final tip -look for the red tags – they are clearance prices.

Bed Bath and Beyond

January 21st, 2010

Bed, Bath and Beyond.
4820 S. Broadway Ave
Tyler
903 939 1999

Opening times: Mon-Sat 9am-9pm
Sunday 11am-7pm

Shopping at Bed Bath and Beyond in Tyler Texas is an experience I enjoy. I don’t visit regularly – the prices are more upscale than my budget, but I do browse there for gifts or look there for a particular item that I want for the kitchen. It seems that there are many gift-hunters like me who go there – Bed Bath and Beyond is a classic place for bridal registries.

So what do they sell? The name kind of gives it away – it is a home store – with kitchen stuff, bedding, window treatments, rugs, lighting, storage items, things for the bathroom and surprisingly, luggage! They also have a ‘wellness section’ with some health and beauty items and a few miscellaneous toys and gadgets. They have a good seasonal section too – I always go at Christmas and find interesting things to buy that I wouldn’t see at other stores.

It always smells nice in Bed Bath and Beyond (my husband will smile at that comment – but it’s true!) and it is well lit. If you are unfamiliar with the lay out it is not always easy to find what you want but the staff are very helpful. Customer service is also a priority and exchanges from the store or from purchases made online are an easy transaction.

The range of kitchen and diningware is excellent and the quality of the brands they carry is high. Perhaps they should re-name it Kitchen, Bed, Bath and Beyond instead!

The prices are on the high end for most things but you may find a bargain on the clearance section. You can also sign up for mailings and email offers. If it is a bargain you are after in particular, Ross or Marshalls might be an alternative place to look. However, if you are someone who enjoys ‘Pampered Chef’ or ‘Southern Living’ parties then this would be your store of choice.

One final comment. If you really don’t know what to buy the person who has everything … I would think a BB and B gift card would always be most well received.