• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Pentagon accuses Alibaba, Baidu and BYD, three of China's biggest companies, of supporting the Chinese military

2

'We are rapidly running out of time': Watchdog sounds Social Security alarm after 22% cut confirmed for 2032

3

Costco CEO Ron Vachris rose from forklift driver to the C-suite without a college degree: ‘Don’t chase a title’ is the career advice that got him there

1

Pentagon accuses Alibaba, Baidu and BYD, three of China's biggest companies, of supporting the Chinese military

2

'We are rapidly running out of time': Watchdog sounds Social Security alarm after 22% cut confirmed for 2032

3

Costco CEO Ron Vachris rose from forklift driver to the C-suite without a college degree: ‘Don’t chase a title’ is the career advice that got him there
Retaildepartment store

J.C. Penney Is Closing These 138 Stores This Spring

Phil Wahba
By
Phil Wahba
Phil Wahba
Senior Writer
Down Arrow Button Icon
Phil Wahba
By
Phil Wahba
Phil Wahba
Senior Writer
Down Arrow Button Icon
March 17, 2017, 11:14 AM ET

J.C. Penney on Friday released the list of the 138 stores it is closing as the retailer looks to get its turnaround back on track.

Last month, the struggling department store chain announced it would close up to 140 stores this spring in order to focus on improving its locations with the most potential.

Penney reported a 0.7% decline in comparable sales for the holiday quarter, the third period out of four last fiscal year to see business soften. The results were a setback for a retailer that had seen comparable sales grow in the previous two years as it clawed itself back from the brink after an ill fated attempted to be hipper in 2012. At their nadir, sales fell 33% because of that failed turnaround.

In 2015, Penney, which operates about 1,000 stores, told Fortune it would halt store closings last year, saying that its physical stores were key to supporting its resurgent e-commerce. Indeed, some one-third of orders are shipped from, or picked up in a store. But with comparable sales expected to be unchanged in 2016, it’s clearly hard for Penney to justify the same number of stores with annual sales at $12.6 billion as when they were $19 billion a decade ago.

So Penney, grappling like other department stores with decreasing store traffic and growing disinterest in that retail format, has decided to concentrate its efforts on stores that can do well as it expands its highly successful chain of Sephora boutiques within its stores, new appliance and home services areas, and upcoming Nike and adidas boutiques, and make sure they are up to snuff.

“Our decision to close stores will allow us to raise the overall brand standard of the Company and allocate capital more efficiently,” Penney CEO Marvin Ellison said last month.

The stores being closed generate less than 5% of total annual sales.
Penney has about 600 mall-based stores and another 400 smaller standalone stores in smaller markets. Those smaller locations make up the bulk of the closings, though some major mall-based stores like the Penney in King of Prussia, Pennsylvia and at Palisades Center in West Nyack, New York, one of the 10 largest malls in the country, are going out of business. Fellow department store chains Macy’s (M) and Sears (SHLD) are closing dozens of stores as well.

Here is a list of the J.C. Penney stores that are closing this spring:

Auburn Mall, Auburn, AL
Tannehill Promenade, Bessemer, AL
Gadsden Mall, Gadsden, AL
Jasper Mall, Jasper, AL
Military Plaza, Benton, AR
Chickasaw Plaza, Blytheville, AR
Riverview Mall, Bullhead City, AZ
Downtown Bishop, Bishop, CA
Sunwest Plaza, Lodi, CA
The Village at Orange, Orange, CA
Hilltop Mall, Richmond, CA
Fort Morgan Main St., Fort Morgan, CO
Glenwood Springs Mall, Glenwood Springs, CO
St. Vrain Centre, Longmont, CO
Broadway Plaza, Sterling, CO
Connecticut Post Mall, Milford, CT
Jacksonville Regional Shopping Center, Jacksonville, FL
Palatka Mall, Palatka, FL
Dublin Mall, Dublin, GA
Macon Mall, Macon, GA
Milledgeville Mall, Milledgeville, GA
Gateway Plaza, Thomasville, GA
Tifton Mall, Tifton, GA
Downtown Decorah, Decorah, IA
Crossroads Mall, Fort Dodge, IA
Penn Central Mall, Oskaloosa, IA
Quincy Place, Ottumwa, IA
Snake River Plaza, Burley ID
Eastland Mall, Bloomington, IL
Fulton Square, Canton, IL
Village Square Mall, Effingham, IL
Macomb, IL
Peru Mall, Peru, IL
Northland Mall, Sterling, IL
Centerpointe of Woodridge, Woodridge, IL
FairOaks Mall, Columbus, IN
Connersville Plaza, Connersville, IN
Huntington Plaza, Huntington, IN
Jasper Manor Center, Jasper, IN
Logansport Mall, Logansport, IN
Chanute Square, Chanute, KS
Downtown Great Bend, Great Bend, KS
Hutchinson Mall, Hutchinson, KS
Lawrence KS
Winfield Plaza, Winfield, KS
Cortana Mall, Baton Rouge, LA
Park Terrace, DeRidder, LA
North Shore Square, Slidell, LA
Berkshire Mall, Lanesborough, MA
Easton Marketplace, Easton, MD
Rockland Plaza, Rockland, ME
Lakeview Square Mall, Battle Creek, MI
Delta Plaza, Escanaba, MI,
Westshore Mall, Holland, MI
Copper Country Mall, Houghton, MI
Birchwood Mall, Kingsford, MI
Midland Mall, Midland, MI
Cascade Crossings, Sault Ste. Marie, MI
Central Lakes Crossing, Baxter, MN
Five Lakes Centre, Fairmont, MN
Faribo West Mall, Faribault, MN
Irongate Plaza. Hibbing, MN
Hutchinson Mall, Hutchinson, MN
Red Wing Mall, Red Wing, MN
Downtown Thief River Falls, Thief River Falls, MN
Winona MN
Maryville Center, Maryville, MO
Leigh Mall, Columbus, MS
Southgate Plaza, Corinth, MS
Greenville Mall, Greenville, MS
Bonita Lakes Mall, Meridian, MS
Oxford Mall, Oxford, MS
Capital Hill Mall, Helena, MT
Sidney Main Street, Sidney, MT
Albemarle Crossing, Albemarle, NC
Boone Mall, Boone, NC
Eastridge Mall, Gastonia, NC
Blue Ridge Mall, Hendersonville, NC
Monroe Crossing, Monroe, NC
Becker Village Mall, Roanoke Rapids, NC
Prairie Hills Mall, Dickinson, ND
Buffalo Mall, Jamestown, ND
Downtown Wahpeton, Wahpeton, ND
Fremont Mall, Fremont, NE
Downtown McCook, McCook, NE
Platte River Mall, North Platte, NE
Rio Grande Plaza, Rio Grande, NJ
The Boulevard, Las Vegas, NV
Dunkirk-Fredonia Plaza, Dunkirk, NY
Westfield Sunrise, Massapequa, NY
Palisades Center, West Nyack, NY
Findlay Village Mall, Findlay, OH
New Towne Mall, New Philadelphia, OH
Richmond Town Square, Richmond Heights, OH
St. Mary’s Square, St. Marys, OH
Altus Plaza, Altus, OK
Ne-Mar Shopping Center, Claremore, OK
Ponca Plaza, Ponca City,OK
Pioneer Square Shopping Center, Stillwater, OK
Astoria Downtown, Astoria, OR
Grants Pass Shopping Center, Grants Pass, OR
La Grande Downtown, La Grande, OR
Downtown Pendleton, Pendleton, OR
The Dalles Main Street, The Dalles, OR
Columbia Mall, Bloomsburg, PA
Clearfield Mall, Clearfield, PA
King of Prussia Mall, King of Prussia, PA
Philadelphia Mills, Philadelphia, PA
Bradford Towne Centre, Towanda, PA
Lycoming Mall, Pennsdale, PA
Willow Grove Park, Willow Grove, PA
Citadel Mall, Charleston, SC
Town ‘N Country, Easley, SC
Palace Mall, Mitchell, SD
Northridge Plaza, Pierre, SD
Watertown Mall, Watertown, SD
Yankton Mall, Yankton, SD
Greeneville Commons, Greeneville, TN
Knoxville Center, Knoxville, TN
County Market Place, Union City, TN
Athens Village Shopping Center, Athens, TX
Borger Shopping Plaza, Borger, TX
Heartland Mall, Early, TX
El Paso Downtown, El Paso, TX
Marshall Mall, Marshall,TX
McAllen, TX
University Mall, Nacogdoches, TX
King Plaza Shopping Center, Seguin TX
Bosque River Center, Stephenville TX
New River Valley Mall, Christiansburg, VA
Tanglewood Mall Roanoke, VA
Pilchuck Landing, Snohomish, WA
Pine Tree Mall, Marinette, WI
Marshfield Mall, Marshfield, WI
Richland Square Shopping Center, Richland Center WI
Rapids Mall, Wisconsin Rapids, WI
Foxcroft Towne Center, Martinsburg, WV
Downtown Sheridan, Sheridan ,WY

 

About the Author
Phil Wahba
By Phil WahbaSenior Writer
LinkedIn iconTwitter icon

Phil Wahba is a senior writer at Fortune primarily focused on leadership coverage, with a prior focus on retail.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Retail

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Retail

Matt Damon and Gary White.
EnvironmentWaters
Corporate America has been draining the world’s water. Matt Damon’s new campaign calls on Gap, Starbucks, and Amazon to help give it back
By Catherina GioinoJune 9, 2026
18 hours ago
Chinese beauty brands flock to Southeast Asia as their first step in going global
RetailChina
Chinese beauty brands flock to Southeast Asia as their first step in going global
By Angelica AngJune 9, 2026
1 day ago
John Furner, CEO, Walmart US
SuccessCost of living
Walmart CEO John Furner says even wealthy shoppers are now shopping at the discount grocery chain as high prices stretch six-figure earners
By Emma BurleighJune 8, 2026
2 days ago
Costco CEO Ron Vachris rose from forklift driver to the C-suite without a college degree: ‘Don’t chase a title’ is the career advice that got him there
SuccessThe Promotion Playbook
Costco CEO Ron Vachris rose from forklift driver to the C-suite without a college degree: ‘Don’t chase a title’ is the career advice that got him there
By Preston ForeJune 8, 2026
2 days ago
Gas over $4 looks like tipping point as Walmart customers don’t fill tanks, fast food loses cheapest diners
Retailgas prices
Gas over $4 looks like tipping point as Walmart customers don’t fill tanks, fast food loses cheapest diners
By Anne D'Innocenzio and The Associated PressJune 7, 2026
3 days ago
Allison Sheehan
SuccessJobs
This Gen Zer got reprimanded at Goldman for making cake videos as the ‘Investment Baker.’ She quit her job and is building a dessert empire
By Emma BurleighJune 7, 2026
3 days ago

Most Popular

Pentagon accuses Alibaba, Baidu and BYD, three of China's biggest companies, of supporting the Chinese military
Asia
Pentagon accuses Alibaba, Baidu and BYD, three of China's biggest companies, of supporting the Chinese military
By Kate O'Keeffe and BloombergJune 8, 2026
1 day ago
'We are rapidly running out of time': Watchdog sounds Social Security alarm after 22% cut confirmed for 2032
Economy
'We are rapidly running out of time': Watchdog sounds Social Security alarm after 22% cut confirmed for 2032
By Nick LichtenbergJune 9, 2026
15 hours ago
Costco CEO Ron Vachris rose from forklift driver to the C-suite without a college degree: ‘Don’t chase a title’ is the career advice that got him there
Success
Costco CEO Ron Vachris rose from forklift driver to the C-suite without a college degree: ‘Don’t chase a title’ is the career advice that got him there
By Preston ForeJune 8, 2026
2 days ago
Trump, who has repeatedly called climate change fake, is now threatening Brazil with tariffs over the deforestation of the Amazon
Environment
Trump, who has repeatedly called climate change fake, is now threatening Brazil with tariffs over the deforestation of the Amazon
By Sasha RogelbergJune 8, 2026
1 day ago
Current price of oil as of June 8, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of June 8, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJune 8, 2026
2 days ago
Current price of oil as of June 9, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of June 9, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJune 9, 2026
19 hours ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.