Pier 1 Seeks Restraining Order Against TJX Cos.

February 12, 2007  by in UnCategorized   

By Home Furnishings Business in Furniture Retailing on February 2007 Pier 1 Imports has filed a lawsuit against The TJX Cos. seeking a temporary restraining order to prevent the parent of TJ Maxx from interfering with the employment of Pier 1’s new president and chief executive officer.

Pier 1 announced last month that it had hired Alex Smith to succeed retiring Marvin Girouard as its top executive. Smith is set to start work with Pier 1 Feb. 19

In a statement, Pier 1 said TJX, Smith’s former employer, has been “threatening Alex with legal action in an effort to prevent his reporting to work at Pier 1 next Monday.”

“Since Pier 1 is not a competitor with any of the TJX companies, those threats are improper,” said Tom Thomas, a member of Pier 1’s executive committee. “The lawsuit we filed was necessary to assure that Alex will be at his post next Monday to oversee the beginning of Pier 1’s return to profitability.”