JCPenney Closing 138 Stores Delayed After Outpouring Of Customer Support

Earlier this month JCPenney announced 138 stores across the country would be closing by June. Shoppers eager to save their local store came out in droves at multiple locations and appear to have halted, at least temporarily, the store closures. The nationwide retail chain celebrated its 115th anniversary earlier this month.

The JCPenney store closures, if all are shuttered as previously announced, will impact approximately 5,000 employees. Liquidation sales were slated to begin on April 17, but due to the outpouring of support from shoppers, the going out of business sales have been delayed until May 22, CNBC reports. JCPenney stores will now be closing at the end of July instead of in June, according to company officials.

CREDIT SUISSE: JCPenney is finally responding to the death of brick-and-mortar retail https://t.co/QPmdhndQeG pic.twitter.com/gprz0CfVQL

— Business Insider (@businessinsider) April 19, 2017

“This is not an uncommon response when you announce a store closure,” a JCPenney representative told the media earlier this week. “Local shoppers will come out for a variety of reasons, some out of nostalgia and some who are just looking for a great deal.”

After announcing the closure of 138 stores, a statement released by JCPenney officials revealed two distribution centers would be phased out as well, Good Housekeeping reports. The planned store closures amount to approximately 14 percent of the company’s existing retail locations.

An early retirement program is being launched and may cover about 6,000 JCPenney workers. Company officials reportedly hope the vacated full-time positions will open up more jobs at remaining retail locations.

Celebrated JCP 115 yr anniversary at Mr. Penney’s birthplace in Hamilton, MO. Thanks to Museum Curator Dean Hales! pic.twitter.com/vHfIK3ChRk

— Marvin Ellison (@MarvinJCPenney) April 19, 2017

JCPenney is just the latest in a growing list of long-standing retail stores announcing closings amid mounting competition from online venues like Amazon. Kmart, Sears, HHGregg, and the Limited are just a sampling of stores which are closing some of their brick-and-mortar stores or going out of business altogether.

List Of JCPenney Store Closures

• Auburn Mall, Auburn, Alabama
• Tannehill Promenade, Bessemer, Alabama
• Gadsden Mall, Gadsden, Alabama
• Jasper Mall, Jasper, Alabama
• Military Plaza, Benton, Arkansas
• Chickasaw Plaza, Blytheville, Arkansas
• Riverview Mall, Bullhead City, Arizona
• Downtown Bishop, Bishop, California
• Sunwest Plaza, Lodi, California
• The Village at Orange, Orange, California
• Hilltop Mall, Richmond, California
• Fort Morgan Main St., Fort Morgan, Colorado
• Glenwood Springs Mall, Glenwood Springs, Colorado
• St. Vrain Centre, Longmont, Colorado
• Broadway Plaza, Sterling, Colorado
• Connecticut Post Mall, Milford, Connecticut
• Jacksonville Regional Shopping Center, Jacksonville, Florida
• Palatka Mall, Palatka, Florida
• Dublin Mall, Dublin, Georgia
• Macon Mall, Macon, Georgia
• Milledgeville Mall, Milledgeville, Georgia
• Gateway Plaza, Thomasville, Georgia
• Tifton Mall, Tifton, Georgia
• Downtown Decorah, Decorah, Iowa
• Crossroads Mall, Fort Dodge, Iowa
• Penn Central Mall, Oskaloosa, Iowa
• Quincy Place, Ottumwa, Iowa
• Snake River Plaza, Burley, Idaho
• Eastland Mall, Bloomington, Illinois
• Fulton Square, Canton, Illinois
• Village Square Mall, Effingham, Illinois
• Freestanding, Macomb, Illinois
• Peru Mall, Peru, Illinois
• Northland Mall, Sterling, Illinois
• Centerpointe of Woodridge, Woodridge, Illinois
• FairOaks Mall, Columbus, Indiana
• Connersville Plaza, Connersville, Indiana
• Huntington Plaza, Huntington, Indiana
• Jasper Manor Center, Jasper, Indiana
• Logansport Mall, Logansport, Indiana
• Chanute Square, Chanute, Kansas
• Downtown Great Bend, Great Bend, Kansas
• Hutchinson Mall, Hutchinson, Kansas
• Freestanding, Lawrence, Kansas
• Winfield Plaza, Winfield, Kansas
• Cortana Mall, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
• Park Terrace, DeRidder, Louisiana
• North Shore Square, Slidell, Louisiana
• Berkshire Mall, Lanesborough, Massachusetts
• Easton Marketplace, Easton, Maryland
• Rockland Plaza, Rockland, Maine
• Lakeview Square Mall, Battle Creek, Michigan
• Delta Plaza, Escanaba, Michigan
• Westshore Mall, Holland, Michigan
• Copper Country Mall, Houghton, Michigan
• Birchwood Mall, Kingsford, Michigan
• Midland Mall, Midland, Michigan
• Cascade Crossings Sault Ste., Marie, Michigan
• Central Lakes Crossing, Baxter, Minnesota
• Five Lakes Centre, Fairmont, Minnesota
• Faribo West Mall, Faribault, Minnesota
• Irongate Plaza, Hibbing, Minnesota
• Hutchinson Mall, Hutchinson, Minnesota
• Red Wing Mall, Red Wing, Minnesota
• Downtown Thief River Falls, Thief River Falls, Minnesota
• Freestanding, Winona, Minnesota
• Maryville Center, Maryville, Missouri
• Leigh Mall, Columbus, Mississippi
• Southgate Plaza, Corinth, Mississippi
• Greenville Mall, Greenville, Mississippi
• Bonita Lakes Mall, Meridian, Mississippi
• Oxford Mall, Oxford, Mississippi
• Capital Hill Mall, Helena, Montana
• Sidney Main Street, Sidney, Montana
• Albemarle Crossing, Albemarle, North Carolina
• Boone Mall, Boone, North Carolina
• Eastridge Mall, Gastonia, North Carolina
• Blue Ridge Mall, Hendersonville, North Carolina
• Monroe Crossing, Monroe, North Carolina
• Becker Village Mall, Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina
• Prairie Hills Mall, Dickinson, North Dakota
• Buffalo Mall, Jamestown, North Dakota
• Downtown Wahpeton, Wahpeton, North Dakota
• Fremont Mall, Fremont, Nebraska
• Downtown McCook, McCook, Nebraska
• Platte River Mall, North Platte, Nebraska
• Rio Grande Plaza, Rio Grande, New Jersey
• The Boulevard, Las Vegas, Nevada
• Dunkirk-Fredonia Plaza, Dunkirk, New York
• Westfield Sunrise, Massapequa, New York
• Palisades Center, West Nyack, New York
• Findlay Village Mall, Findlay, Ohio
• New Towne Mall, New Philadelphia, Ohio
• Richmond Town Square, Richmond Heights, Ohio
• St. Mary’s Square, St. Marys, Ohio
• Altus Plaza, Altus, Oklahoma
• Ne-Mar Shopping Center, Claremore, Oklahoma
• Ponca Plaza, Ponca City, Oklahoma
• Pioneer Square Shopping Center, Stillwater, Oklahoma
• Astoria Downtown, Astoria, Oregon
• Grants Pass Shopping Center, Grants Pass, Oregon
• La Grande Downtown, La Grande, Oregon
• Downtown Pendleton, Pendleton, Oregon
• The Dalles Main Street, The Dalles, Oregon
• Columbia Mall, Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania
• Clearfield Mall, Clearfield, Pennsylvania
• King of Prussia Mall, King of Prussia, Pennsylvania
• Philadelphia Mills, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• Bradford Towne Centre, Towanda, Pennsylvania
• Lycoming Mall, Pennsdale, Pennsylvania
• Willow Grove Park, Willow Grove, Pennsylvania
• Citadel Mall, Charleston, South Carolina
• Town ‘N Country, Easley, South Carolina
• Palace Mall, Mitchell, South Dakota
• Northridge Plaza, Pierre, South Dakota
• Watertown Mall, Watertown, South Dakota
• Yankton Mall, Yankton, South Dakota
• Greeneville Commons, Greeneville, Tennessee
• Knoxville Center, Knoxville, Tennessee
• County Market Place, Union City, Tennessee
• Athens Village Shopping Center, Athens, Texas
• Borger Shopping Plaza, Borger, Texas
• Heartland Mall, Early, Texas
• El Paso Downtown, El Paso, Texas
• Marshall Mall, Marshall, Texas
• McAllen Downtown, McAllen, Texas
• University Mall, Nacogdoches, Texas
• King Plaza Shopping Center, Seguin, Texas
• Bosque River Center, Stephenville, Texas
• New River Valley Mall, Christiansburg, Virginia
• Tanglewood Mall, Roanoke, Virginia
• Pilchuck Landing, Snohomish, Washington
• Pine Tree Mall, Marinette, Wisconsin
• Marshfield Mall, Marshfield, Wisconsin
• Richland Square Shopping Center, Richland Center, Wisconsin
• Rapids Mall, Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin
• Foxcroft Towne Center, Martinsburg, West Virginia
• Downtown Sheridan, Sheridan, Wyoming

Do you think we are in the midst of the death brick-and-mortar stores?

[Featured Image by Carolyn Franks/Shutterstock]