took the building as their first store in the United Kingdom. In March 2009, the TK Maxx e-commerce site was launched, initially selling only handbags, but later also selling other accessories. In October 2015, the first Dutch store opened in Eindhoven. Followed by two more stores in Groningen and Rotterdam. In April 2017, the brand was launched in Australia, when it took over the thirty five Trade Secret discount department stores. The stores opened in April in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne with stores in Cairns, Townsville, Toowoomba, Canberra, Newcastle, Wollongong, Albury, the Sunshine Coast and the Gold Coast by the end of May. In November 2018, a mass brawl between hostile extended families took place at a TK Maxx outlet in Osnabrück, Germany, during Black Friday sales. Charity work In June 2007, TK Maxx was an active participant of UK Comic Relief, having been the sole retailer of the Red Nose Day T-shirts which generated £2 million for the Comic Relief cause. In June 2009, TK Maxx was again the sole retailer of the Red Nose Day T-shirts, with exclusive designs by Stella McCartney, raising a total of £3,200,589. TK Maxx also worked with the Woodland Trust by starting to charge for plastic carrier bags in August 2008 and donating the proceeds to the Trust. The proceeds allowed the Woodland Trust to plant 30,000 new trees on a site near Elmstead Market, Essex. The usage of carrier bags from TK Maxx dropped by 73% since the scheme was launched. At the time, shops usually provided free carrier bags; since 2015 a charge, usually donated to charity, is required by law throughout the United Kingdom. Since 2004, TK Maxx has held a Christmas card recycling scheme in conjunction with the Trust. TK Maxx also runs a 'Give Up Clothes For Good' campaign, where customers are encouraged to bring in unwanted clothes for Cancer Research UK. In Ireland, TK Maxx actively supports Enable Ireland, a charity which helps provide free services to children with disabilities. Notes References External links TJX Companies Arts and crafts retailers Retail companies established in 1994 Companies based in Framingham, Massachusetts Clothing retailers of the United States Clothing retailers of the United Kingdom Companies based in Watford Clothing retailers of Australia Department stores of Australia