TJX Co. said today it will close 12 A.J. Wright dilocal newsscount stores in the Chicago area， and convert 11 others to either T.J. Maxx， Marshalls or HomeGoods stores.

The announcement is part of a nationwide plan to close 71 A.J. Wright stores and conveTJX closing 12 local A.J. Wright stores, convertin!local newsrt 91 to the other formats， eliminating 4，400 jobs nationwide， as the parent company focuses on its more profitable businesses. TJX CEO Carol Meyrowitz said the company has learned how to serve the A.J. Wright customer with our T.J. Maxx and Marshalls banners and have seen very strong performance from these stores in demographic markets similar to those in which we have A.J. Wright stores.

TJX did not identify which of the other formats the 11 remaining A.J. Wright stores will become.

The company projects it will open 300 to 400 more T.J. Maxx and Marshalls stores， for a total of 2，300 to 2，400， than previously estimated.

TJX closing 12 local A.J. Wright stores, convertin!local news，The stores to be closed by mid-February are at Six Corners， Bricktown Square， Cicero Marketplace and Washington Square in Chicago， and in Calumet Park， Forest Park， River Grove， Evanston， Markham， Loves Park， Matteson， and in Highland， Ind.， the company said.