Filed under Rule 424(b)(2)
                                        Registration Statement File No. 333-5501

Prospectus Supplement
(to Prospectus Dated July 1, 1996)


                                1,349,527 Shares
                      Common Stock (par value $1 per share)

                             THE TJX COMPANIES, INC.


All of the shares of common stock,  par value $1.00 per share ("Common  Stock"),
of The TJX Companies,  Inc., a Delaware  corporation  (the  "Company"),  offered
hereby are being offered by Nashua Hollis CVS, Inc., a New Hampshire corporation
(the "Selling Stockholder").  No shares of Common Stock are being offered by the
Company  pursuant  hereto and the Company will receive no proceeds from the sale
of  Common  Stock  by  the  Selling  Stockholder  pursuant  to  this  Prospectus
Supplement.

The shares (the "Shares") of Common Stock offered by the Selling Stockholder for
sale pursuant hereto were issued by the Company to the Selling  Stockholder upon
conversion of all the shares of Series D Cumulative Convertible Preferred Stock,
par value $1.00 per share (the "Series D Preferred Stock"),  of the Company held
by the Selling  Stockholder into Common Stock on November 17, 1996 in accordance
with the terms of the Series D Preferred  Stock. No shares of Series D Preferred
Stock remain  outstanding.  The Shares  constitute  the only  securities  of the
Company owned,  directly or  indirectly,  by Melville  Corporation  (the Selling
Stockholder's parent company) as of the date hereof.

All Shares sold pursuant hereto will be sold by the Selling Stockholder directly
to one or more  purchasers  for a  purchase  price to be set forth in a purchase
agreement  entered  into  between the  Selling  Stockholder  and the  applicable
purchaser.

          THESE SECURITIES HAVE NOT BEEN APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED BY THE
            SECURITIESAND EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR ANY STATE SECURITIES
          COMMISSION NOR HAS THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR
           ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION PASSED UPON THE ACCURACY OR
          ADEQUACY OF THIS PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT OR THE PROSPECTUS. ANY
              REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.

The date of this Prospectus Supplement is November 21, 1996.