T.J. Maxx may be coming to Hermitage. Then again, maybe not.

It got a little confusing Wednesday when developer J.J. Gumberg Co. issued a news release announcing that the Framingham, Mass.,-based retailer was locating in the former Phar-Mor store at Hermitage Towne Plaza, owned by Gumberg.

Phar-Mor exited the 28,000-square-foot store two years ago and Gumberg has since been wooing tenants to occupy the empty store.

Gumberg's news release said a second-quarter 2004 opening was planned for the store and quoted Renee Katziff, a spokeswoman for T.J. Maxx, that the company was eager to settle in Hermitage. "We look forward to our new T.J. Maxx location at Hermitage Towne Plaza,'' Ms. Katziff was quoted as saying in the release.

But when Ms. Katziff was contacted for comment, she said no signed deal was in hand.

"I contacted our real estate office and they confirmed we're looking in the Hermitage area, but nothing is signed,'' Ms. Katziff said.

As it turned out, a Gumberg executive jumped the gun and approved issuing the statement before a lease deal was finalized, said Shema Krinsky, a Gumberg spokeswoman. She believed an agreement would be hammered out in the upcoming weeks.