JC Penney is back in the headlines, and not in a good way – the beloved department store chain has announced more store closures this month, with final clearance sales already underway and a hard closing deadline of May 25. If you’ve still got some nostalgic love for wandering through those aisles or hunting for deals in-store, this is your last chance. The discounts are on now, and once the doors close, that’s it.
The retail sector is a mess right now, and even the giants are falling. A mix of inflation, shifting shopping habits, and a shaky economy is wreaking havoc across the board. JC Penney, which once ruled the mall scene, is no exception. Since filing for bankruptcy in 2020, it’s already shut down 200 stores, and now more are being added to that growing list.
According to reports, the latest batch of closures will hit on May 25, and it’s mostly mall-based locations taking the hit. These include stores in California, Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, New Hampshire, North Carolina, and West Virginia. Specifically, you can say goodbye to JC Penney locations at The Shops at Tanforan in San Bruno, CA; Northfield in Denver, CO; Pine Ridge Mall in Pocatello, ID; West Ridge Mall in Topeka, KS; Fox Run Mall in Newington, NH; Asheville Mall in Asheville, NC; and Charleston Town Center in Charleston, WV.
The company swears this isn’t a sign of deeper financial problems. A spokesperson said the closures are due to things like expiring leases, market shifts, and other normal business stuff. They also pointed out that these shutdowns were first flagged back in February. Still, it’s tough not to raise an eyebrow when one of America’s most iconic department store brands keeps pulling out of malls left and right.
And that’s really the key here, malls are dying. The majority of JC Penney’s closures are happening in malls, and it’s no coincidence. As online shopping continues to grow, foot traffic in traditional shopping centers just can’t keep up. Retailers are being forced to make hard choices, and it’s the mall locations that seem to be on the chopping block more often than not.
To try and stay afloat, JC Penney has made some strategic moves. Earlier this year, the brand merged with other mall staples like Aéropostale, Brooks Brothers, and Eddie Bauer under a new company called Catalyst Brands. Former JC Penney CEO Marc Rosen is leading the charge. But even that new umbrella group is looking shaky, Forever 21, another Catalyst brand, recently filed for bankruptcy and is closing all stores.
Retail analysts aren’t exactly convinced that JC Penney is out of the woods. Neil Saunders, a retail expert at GlobalData, says the company is still stuck in the middle of a “reinvention” phase. There are hints of progress, but it’s uneven. He warns that unless JC Penney finds a way to pull everything together, sustainable growth is going to be tough.
And the clock is ticking, not just for Penney’s, but for the entire retail industry. In 2024 alone, over 7,000 stores shut down, and 2025 is on track to break records, with predictions of 15,000 closures by the end of the year. That’s not a slowdown, it’s a collapse.
So yeah, this May 25 deadline isn’t just another sale. It’s possibly your last chance to walk into a JC Penney store in your town. If you’re nearby one of the seven locations getting the ax, this might be the time to score some serious clearance steals. But don’t wait, after May 25, those deals and those doors will be gone.
