With the rise of online shopping, retailers have been closing brick & mortar stores at such a high rate that the trend has its own name: the retail apocalypse. While Sears filed for bankruptcy and Macy’s, JC Penney, J Crew, and the Gap are scrambling to figure out how to compete in the online age, one retailer isn’t just surviving, but thriving: T.J. Maxx has reported increased customer traffic at its physical stores for 17 consecutive quarters; its total annual sales--$36 billion-- are more than Nordstrom and JC Penney’s combined. Cheddar Examines the T.J. Maxx playbook: it involves the human brain’s love of the treasure hunt, plus an unusually nimble approach to logistics.