JC Penney issues an urgent statement in the United States: next weekend

JC Penney was born in 1902 when James Cash Penney managed textile product stores under the Golden Rule chain, adopting its current name in 1913. Initially located in urban centers, during the 1960s they moved their stores to shopping malls, following the retail sector trend.

At the beginning of the 21st century, the arrival of e-commerce put JC Penney in crisis, which led the company to declare bankruptcy in 2020. In 2025, the chain merged with SPARC Group to form Catalyst Brands, a strategic move aimed at strengthening its presence in a constantly changing market.

The present and future of JC Penney

This May 25, JC Penney will close seven of its stores in different states of the United States. Although the date coincides with Memorial Day weekend, the closures are not related to the holiday. It is a measure announced by the company at the beginning of the year to adjust its branch network.

Closure plan announced since February

At the beginning of 2025, JC Penney announced that they would close eight stores during May, although finally only seven will close next weekend. A spokesperson explained that a massive reduction of stores is not planned. However, he did explain that: "from time to time isolated closures occur due to lease expirations, market changes, or other factors."

The chain has more than 650 establishments, so the closure of these seven stores represents less than 2% of its total network. The retail sector is going through a difficult time, affected by the pandemic, the growth of e-commerce, and the evolution in shopping habits. Coresight Research projects that in 2025 about 15,000 stores will close in the United States, more than double the 7,325 closed in 2024.

Coresight's CEO, Deborah Weinswig, spoke about it. She pointed out that "inflation and the growing consumer preference for shopping online to find the cheapest deals took a toll on retailers in 2024."

The stores that will close in 2025

The affected branches are located in different states:

California (San Bruno): The Shops at Tanforan, 1122 El Camino Real

Colorado (Denver): The Shops at Northfield, 8568 E 49th Ave.

Idaho (Pocatello): Pine Ridge Mall, 4201 Yellowstone Ave.

Kansas (Topeka): West Ridge Mall, 1821 SW Wanamaker Road

North Carolina (Asheville): Asheville Mall, 3 S Tunnel Road

New Hampshire (Newington): Mall at Fox Run, 50 Fox Run Road

West Virginia (Charleston): Charleston Town Center, 401 Lee Street E

Extension for store in Maryland

A JC Penney branch in Maryland, located in Annapolis Mall, was going to close in April but will now remain open until August. A spokesperson confirmed that the company extended its lease after removing closing signs and placed one that says "now hiring." Negotiations continue with the mall owner for a possible extension of the term.