J. C. Penney files for Ch. 11 Bankruptcy

[kkt]

I graduated college in 2013.  Every "entry level" job I saw wanted at least 2-5 years of experience.

I'm sorry they were misusing the language.

Boomers were born 1945-1964, so in 2008 the youngest of them would have been 44, and roughly 15-20 years of work.

[Scott5114]

I graduated college in 2013.  Every "entry level" job I saw wanted at least 2-5 years of experience.

I'm sorry they were misusing the language.

It was an intentional misuse. They were still paying entry-level wages, but requiring non-entry-levels of experience. They knew exactly what they were doing.

[hbelkins]

I don't have a personal style. Comfort and functionality and price are the three most important things to me. I've never been stylish, not even as a teenager or young adult.

About the only clothing brand preference I have is for Adidas shoes, and that's more of a comfort thing. I've always preferred the way they fit and feel vs. Nike or other shoe company. And I tend to wear the same shoes for both work and casual settings, so a pair of Adidas shoes can fit my work needs as well as my off-work needs.

My favorite pair of jeans at the moment cost me $10 at Rural King. They fit, they're functional, and they're comfortable. They're also a whole lot cheaper than Levi's.

Most of the Penney locations in my area are in strip mall-type shopping centers. There's still a Penney's at the traditional mall (Fayette Mall) in Lexington, but the Mt. Sterling, Danville, and Hazard locations are in strip malls. Richmond's location relocated from a traditional mall built in the late 1980s to a new strip mall development built about 10-15 years ago.

[kphoger]

And, finally, the worst thing to buy online:  SHOES.  I can't think of anything more frustrating.

My best friend took his wife shopping for steel-toe work boots once.  They went to Dick's, tried on boots, found the kind they wanted, then went home to order online.  The exact same boot in the exact same size arrived in the mail a while later, and it didn't fit her feet right.

[hbelkins]

And, finally, the worst thing to buy online:  SHOES.  I can't think of anything more frustrating.

My best friend took his wife shopping for steel-toe work boots once.  They went to Dick's, tried on boots, found the kind they wanted, then went home to order online.  The exact same boot in the exact same size arrived in the mail a while later, and it didn't fit her feet right.

Sometimes there are subtle differences in the same items for different retailers. A pair of Wrangler BR-549 jeans (and yes, I just made that model number up) that you buy at Walmart might not be the same pair of Wrangler BR-549 jeans you can get at Tractor Supply.

[vdeane]

And, finally, the worst thing to buy online:  SHOES.  I can't think of anything more frustrating.

My best friend took his wife shopping for steel-toe work boots once.  They went to Dick's, tried on boots, found the kind they wanted, then went home to order online.  The exact same boot in the exact same size arrived in the mail a while later, and it didn't fit her feet right.

I presume they bought them from somewhere else?  That story feels kinda like karma.

[RobbieL2415]

I'm wondering if Amazon won't buy up JCP's assets and do something with them. They have more than enough cash to pay off their debt.

I also wonder if when Sears Holdings filed they considered buying theirs.  Both obviously have a lot of real estate and it would be a chance to revive a struggling brand.

[kkt]

I dunno.  Selling online has made Amazon very successful.  Why would they want to turn around and invest in a brick and mortar chain that's already in trouble?

[Konza]

I think the answer to both of the above posts is "apparel" .  Amazon sees a weakness there, and clothing and soft goods have always been a perceived strength of JCP.  Sears was always stronger in hard goods; such things do not fit as well into Amazon's distribution model.

JCP only recently reintroduced appliances.  They once had auto centers as well; many of those are now the Firestone locations along mall ring roads.

[SEWIGuy]

I'm wondering if Amazon won't buy up JCP's assets and do something with them. They have more than enough cash to pay off their debt.

I also wonder if when Sears Holdings filed they considered buying theirs.  Both obviously have a lot of real estate and it would be a chance to revive a struggling brand.

There were some rumors that Amazon was thinking about buying Kohls.

But in the end, I don't see why they would change their business model.  Especially given the times we are in now. 

[oscar]

There were some rumors that Amazon was thinking about buying Kohls.

But in the end, I don't see why they would change their business model.  Especially given the times we are in now. 

Amazon did take over Whole Foods, which in selected markets gives Amazon a vehicle to get into groceries and especially online grocery delivery. That seems to be good timing, with the pandemic.

But Kohls and JC Penney aren't different enough from what Amazon already offers to make sense.

[RobbieL2415]

I dunno.  Selling online has made Amazon very successful.  Why would they want to turn around and invest in a brick and mortar chain that's already in trouble?

Real estate and intellectual property.  AMZ could use the existing storefronts to test a potential new retail concept.

[vdeane]

There were some rumors that Amazon was thinking about buying Kohls.

But in the end, I don't see why they would change their business model.  Especially given the times we are in now. 

Amazon did take over Whole Foods, which in selected markets gives Amazon a vehicle to get into groceries and especially online grocery delivery. That seems to be good timing, with the pandemic.

But Kohls and JC Penney aren't different enough from what Amazon already offers to make sense.

Amazon is also setting up book stores in selected markets, so retail does seem to be something Amazon is interested in to a certain extent.

[kkt]

There were some rumors that Amazon was thinking about buying Kohls.

But in the end, I don't see why they would change their business model.  Especially given the times we are in now. 

Amazon did take over Whole Foods, which in selected markets gives Amazon a vehicle to get into groceries and especially online grocery delivery. That seems to be good timing, with the pandemic.

But Kohls and JC Penney aren't different enough from what Amazon already offers to make sense.

Amazon is also setting up book stores in selected markets, so retail does seem to be something Amazon is interested in to a certain extent.

Amazon tried out a brick and mortar store here.  It was the world's worst bookstore.  Remember the little mall bookstores like B. Dalton?  Maybe 1000 titles, and a totally ignorant staff?  That's what the Amazon B&M bookstore was like.

[kphoger]

Amazon tried out a brick and mortar store here.  It was the world's worst bookstore.  Remember the little mall bookstores like B. Dalton?  Maybe 1000 titles, and a totally ignorant staff?  That's what the Amazon B&M bookstore was like.

One step down from Waldenbooks?

[kkt]

Amazon tried out a brick and mortar store here.  It was the world's worst bookstore.  Remember the little mall bookstores like B. Dalton?  Maybe 1000 titles, and a totally ignorant staff?  That's what the Amazon B&M bookstore was like.

One step down from Waldenbooks?

Pretty much.  Just a best-seller section.  Maybe like a book and magazine kiosk in an airport.

[catch22]

Store closing list:

https://companyblog.jcpnewsroom.com/storeclosings/

[webny99]

Store closing list:
https://companyblog.jcpnewsroom.com/storeclosings/

No huge surprises for closures in NY, except for the one at Destiny USA! Yikes, that's a gut punch. I would have thought that would have literally been last on the list to close, likely literally bottom 5 in the entire country.

[vdeane]

Yeah, that's a bit of a plot twist.  I wonder why Binghamton isn't losing JCPenney but Syracuse is.

Not surprised about the Rome store closing, though.

[jeffandnicole]

Store closing list:

https://companyblog.jcpnewsroom.com/storeclosings/

None in NJ yet.

I was on the USA today website earlier. Within the article were links to "Closing 252 Stores" (or whatever the number is). Every link simply went to another story about JC Penney. All clickbait to drive up their numbers!

[jakeroot]

Nothing in WA either. That surprises me, since none of the ones I can think of seem that busy. Although we don't seem to have quite the number of dead malls that populate so much of the country.

[formulanone]

Store closing list:

https://companyblog.jcpnewsroom.com/storeclosings/

None in NJ yet.

I was on the USA today website earlier. Within the article were links to "Closing 252 Stores" (or whatever the number is). Every link simply went to another story about JC Penney. All clickbait to drive up their numbers!

But you should be supporting journalism that's also infuriating to use...

JCPenney closed many of their stores in Northern Alabama 3-4 years ago, which was our go-to photo studio source.

[LM117]

Store closing list:

https://companyblog.jcpnewsroom.com/storeclosings/

No surprise about Danville, VA. The mall is a ghost town and has already lost Sears. Once JCPenney closes, the only anchors left will be Belk and Dunham's Sports. Hull Property Group owns the mall and they have completely mismanaged it, so that doesn't help. I remember when they took over the mall in Wilson, NC in 2004 and proceeded to do everything they could to run it into the ground. They finally succeeded in 2013.

[ftballfan]

Store closing list:

https://companyblog.jcpnewsroom.com/storeclosings/

Only three in MI, but they aren't that surprising (Alpena, Cadillac, and Petoskey). It's surprising some that are staying open for now (Big Rapids and Owosso come to mind). In northern Michigan, the last mass closure was in the early 1990s, which took out Ludington and Manistee

[1995hoo]

The JC Penney at Springfield Mall here in Fairfax County will remain open. That store's claim to fame is that Charles and Diana (the Prince and Princess of Wales) went shopping there while they were on a state visit here–it was November 11, 1985. No joke, they really went to JC Penney. The reason is that the store had some special display going on by a British designer and I guess they arranged for the Royal visit as a publicity coup.