JCPenney to Close Stores in 8 States (Are You Losing One?)

The number of store closures is projected to double this year, according to Coresight Research — and some of those closings will be of department store JCPenney. A company spokesperson said they do not have plans to significantly reduce their locations, but there will be some shutting down by mid-year.

Here are eight states that will see upcoming JCPenney store closures and liquidation sales. Learn if one is closing near you and if you'll have to find a new spot to save money shopping.

• San Bruno: 1122 El Camino Real

The Shops at Tanforan will lose its JCPenney on May 25. No details have been released as to why this particular location was chosen. There will be a remaining 62 stores in the state of California.

• Denver: 8568 E. 49th Ave.

The Shops at Northfield will also say goodbye to its JCPenney on May 25. The open-air mall will also be losing its Macy's. The shopping center is owned by Stockdale Capital Partners, which is considering turning a portion of the property into an apartment complex.

• Pocatello: 4201 Yellowstone Ave.

Pine Ridge Mall has signs advertising a storewide sale for the closing of its JCPenney, with sales from 20% to 50% off. Mayor Kevin England has said the retail location is expected to close in May, but this has yet to be confirmed.

• Topeka: 1821 S.W. Wanamaker Road

West Ridge Mall is losing a JCPenney on May 25, but according to the new owners, the spot will become the new face of the mall. The purchase was negotiated by Advisors Excel and the location will include office space and a mixture of restaurants and other retailers.

• Annapolis: 1695 Annapolis Mall Road

It is not known when exactly Annapolis will lose its JCPenney, but the Annapolis Mall will be replacing JCPenney with a Hobby Lobby, Grocery Outlet, Onelife Fitness, and two unannounced tenants.

• Asheville: 3 S. Tunnel Road

JCPenney will be exiting the Asheville Mall by May 25. There are 14 other locations in the state of North Carolina.

• Newington: 50 Fox Run Road

Torrington Properties now owns the entire Mall at Fox Run, as well as the Newington Park Shopping Center — a shopping plaza adjacent to the mall. The JCPenney department store building was purchased for $8 million at the end of 2024, and the location is set to close by May 25.

• Charleston: 401 Lee St. E.

JCPenney is leaving the Charleston Town Center Mall after 42 years of business. The location will close its doors on May 25. The area has also lost its Sears and Macy's stores in recent years.

The department store giant filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2020 with billions of dollars in debt but emerged from bankruptcy after being acquired by Simon Property Group and Brookfield Asset Management Inc. Since the initial bankruptcy filing, over 200 stores have closed.

In January of this year, JCPenney merged with SPARC Group to create Catalyst Brands, which launched with $1 billion in liquidity and 1,800 store locations. It includes brands such as Aéropostale, Brooks Brothers, Eddie Bauer, Lucky Brand, and Nautica.

The joint venture is an all-equity transaction with shareholders Simon Property Group, Brookfield Corporation, Authentic Brands Group, and Shein. Marc Rosen has transitioned from CEO of JCPenney to CEO of the new Catalyst Brands. The company insists the merger has nothing to do with the new store closures.

Retail store locations are struggling to stay open in the current economy, and projections indicate it's only going to get worse as the year continues. Last year saw the highest number of store closures since 2020, but many of the stores "rescued" from bankruptcy by private equity are now being stripped for parts and sold — while still blaming the pandemic for failing to recover.

If a JCPenney is closing near you, check to see if you can take advantage of a liquidation sale to score some deals, and make sure to bring along your best rewards credit card if you do.