Trash or Treasure? Gabes in Chesapeake.

If you live in the 757 on the Southside, you have probably noticed the new Gabes store that opened in the Chesapeake Square area, where the old K-Mart used to be. Having never heard of this chain, I was curious to see what was inside.

My first foray was Thursday night at 6:15. When I walked in, I couldn't believe how big the store was- they sell clothes for everyone, shoes, housewares, electronics, and food. I found a couple of cute tops for loungewear, but when I got to the line, it was 20 people deep. With no time to spare, I put the clothes back and left with nothing. Lesson one? Leave yourself plenty of time when you go, at least the first time.

I went back Friday night at 8 and everything seemed calmer. There were some families taking advantage of tax-free weekend, but the line at the registers was shorter. I went straight back to where I had left my tops, and they were still there. Score! With plenty of time left (I needed to leave by 8:50), I began to browse the ladies' department. There are plenty of name brands- Calvin Klein, Seven, Columbia, Lands End, and Loft, to name a few, but there are also cheaper brands such as Hanes. Everything seemed pretty organized, even if the clothes didn't seem to go "together" per se- there was a rack of t-shirts ranging from $2.99 to pricier Adidas shirts with no real connection to why they were together. I had trouble figuring out the dresses- there were some cute ones on a rack up front (again, no rhyme or reason to why they shared a rack), but also others spread throughout the section. The shirt section was well organized- by size and color, which made looking very easy. They also have pants, jackets, and activewear from which to choose. I found six items and headed off to the fitting rooms, which are way in the back of the store.

When I got to the fitting area, an employee counted my items and assigned me a room, then led me back, which I found a nice touch. The clothes are inexpensive- I had a sweatshirt at $5.99, a top at $7.99, leggings at $9.99 (don't judge- it's for post-surgery), and a Loft teal cardigan for $9.99. I also tried on an American Eagle sweater priced at $9.99 that I recognized from last season. Basically, most of the clothes (at least the non-name brand ones) are going to be pretty cheaply made- I would compare it to Ross. But still, I wasn't looking for something to last me forever, so I didn't mind. The leggings were perfect, and the other tops were pretty good. The AE sweater had a large thread issue inside, and frankly it was ugly, so that was a miss. The polyester blend sweatshirt was blah, too, but the Loft cardigan was amazing. I loved the teal color and the large buttons, and it's long enough to wear with my (post-op) leggings. Definitely going in the "treasure" column!

Next, I headed over housewares, where I found two pillows for my outdoor patio furniture at $6.99 each. They had a HUGE selection of frames, but I had to force myself to walk away or I'd still be hanging up photos right now! There was a large and random selection of cute, higher-end cupcake liners, so if you're into baking, they have a ton! The shoe section was very large, but I didn't really stop, although I noticed they have fall boots out now. The accessory section was a mish-mash of socks, pantyhose, jewelry, ELF (Eyes Lips Face) make-up, and purses. I noticed they sell Vera Bradley purses for about $40, which seemed like a good deal to me. I snagged a Maybelline Baby Lips for Bailey's Christmas stocking for only $1.99, and they usually retail for about $4.00, although I suppose this one might have been made in 2010, but hey- it's just wax, right?

At this point, I was out of time, so I headed to the register, which had the TJ Maxx style of last-minute items while you waited. There was a ton of candy (SOOO glad I was sans child), soaps, lotions, etc. but I resisted. When I got to the register, I was asked if I wanted the Gabe's reward card (hello, I love a reward card), so of course I got one (it's free). Turns out, when you spend a mere $50, you get a $5.00 store voucher. That adds up pretty quickly!

Overall, I would say I had a great and positive experience, mostly because I was not in a rush and I had an idea of what I was there to get. The store is well-staffed, and they were very friendly, and it's very clean and tidy- there were no clothes on the floor or products spilled on a shelf like you might find at other discount stores. I have to wonder if they can keep up this great experience after the initial appeal of a new store wears off with the customers. I would definitely go back again, though, as long as I was willing to take the time to look through the merchandise and mentally discard the clothes are definitely on the "trash" side while I searched for the "treasures." If you go to Gabes, I would love to hear about your experience!