ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ is losing yet another department store with J.C. Penney announcing that it will close the El Con location. Just down the road, Macy’s at Park Place mall is liquidating inventory as it prepares to shut down.
J.C. Penney said Thursday that it will start closing 154 of its stores next week in what it is calling the first phase of its efforts to shrink its footprint. Closing sales are expected to begin June 12.
The Plano, Texas-based retailer said it could take about 10 to 16 weeks to complete the closures. A of the stores closing was published on Penney’s website.
The closure of the El Con location, 3501 E. Broadway, leaves two J.C. Penneys in ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ — one on the southwest side, 5265 S. Calle Santa Cruz, and the other at ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Mall, 4530 N. Oracle Road.
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Penney filed for bankruptcy protection last month, making it the biggest retailer to do so since the coronavirus pandemic forced nonessential stores to be shut down temporarily. J.Crew and Neiman Marcus sought bankruptcy protection days before J.C. Penney. All three were laden with debt and had trouble connecting with shoppers, who are increasingly skipping the mall and shopping online.
As part of its bankruptcy reorganization, Penney said it planned to permanently close nearly a third of its 846 stores in the next two years. That would leave it with just over 600 locations.
Photos: J.C. Penney stores in ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥
J.C. Penney in ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥
J.C. Penney Company store in downtown ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ in 1955. It's now the Chicago Music Store.
J.C. Penney in ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥
Standard Oil gas station and Albert Steinfeld Hardware at 100 N. Stone in 1957. They were demolished to build J.C. Penney building. It is now the main library plaza.
J.C. Penney in ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥
This is ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥. Really. It was December, 1956, and downtown was exploding with development. Looking north from about Pennington east of Stone Ave. Background, upper left is the ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Land Title Building. In front of that, the Pima Savings and Loan building. Foreground, left, is J.C. Penney and right is Jacome's Department Store. At right, behind the steel, the Southern ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Bank Building. Then there's the two guys suspended from the crane.
J.C. Penney in ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥
James Cash Penney, far right, the founder and chairman of the board for J.C. Penney Co., stands in front of one of his newest stores in his chain on North Stone Avenue on September 16, 1957. It also happened to be his birthday and several ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ leaders throw him a party to commemorate the occasion.
J.C. Penney in ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥
Exterior of the then new JC Penney on North Stone Avenue during opening day on September 19, 1957. Note, a portion of the Pima County Courthouse is on the upper left side of the photo. The founder, JC Penney himself, was present for the new 62,000 square foot store. The store was located next to the Jacome's and Steinfelds department stores. Over the years all the buildings were torn down and replaced by the Joel Valdez Main Library. At the time Penney's had 1,700 stores in its chain.
J.C. Penney in ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥
Interior of the then new JC Penney on North Stone Avenue during opening day on September 19, 1957. The founder, JC Penney himself, was present for the new 62,000 square foot store. The store was located next to the Jacome's and Steinfelds department stores. Over the years all the buildings were torn down and replaced by the Joel Valdez Main Library. At the time Penney's had 1,700 stores in its chain.
J.C. Penney in ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥
The 1957 UA Homecoming parade on Stone Ave in downtown ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ passed by the Pioneer Hotel and ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥'s biggest department stores: Steinfeld's, Jacomé's and J.C. Penney.
J.C. Penney in ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥
Pat Palmer helps Kaleb Smithee of Roadrunner Elementary School pick out clothes during a shopping spree at J.C. Penney in El Con Mall, 2008. Catalina Mountain Elks Lodge gave each student $100 worth of shoes and clothing.
J.C. Penney in ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥
A section of the El Con Mall area near the JC Penney store in 2004.
J.C. Penney in ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥
Rosana Paz and her mother Rosamaria Valenzuela stand in line to pay for their items during the Black Friday sale at JC Penney at El Con Mall on Friday, November 23, 2012.
J.C. Penney in ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥
A crowd of perhaps 3,000 waited expectantly at the El Con Shopping Center in front of J.C. Penney in 1979 for the saddlebags to be opened on a giant burro pinata, to mark the dedication of the shopping center's $6 million mall addition.
J.C. Penney in ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥
Shoppers crowd around Penney's at El Con Mall, ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, in December, 1980.
J.C. Penney in ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥
Work continues on the JC Penney department store at El Con Mall on East Broadway Boulevard on March 18, 1971.
J.C. Penney in ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥
What was once the front, is now the rear of the JC Penney department store at the El Con Mall, 3501 E Broadway. The photo was taken in ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz., on March 24, 2016.
J.C. Penney in ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥
El Con Mall in ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, 1998. The J.C. Penney store is in the center of the mall.
J.C. Penney in ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥
An aerial photo of El Con Mall in 1978. J.C. Penney is in the center of the mall.
