Is JCPenney Closing Stores in 2026?

It's no secret that many stores have been closing their doors for good in the past few years. In fact, according to Coresight Research, more than 8,000 stores shut down U.S. locations in 2025, including retail giants and department stores. Unfortunately for fans of the chain, JCPenney wasn't spared.

Here are eight states impacted by JCPenney store closures and liquidation sales in 2025. Learn whether one closed near you and why, plus where you can still find JCPenney stores open for business in 2026.

JCPenney hasn't announced plans for significant store closures in 2026. As of March 2026, the retailer still operates 646 locations across all 50 U.S. states. California, Florida, and Texas claim the most stores relative to other states, according to data company ScrapeHero, with Texas in the lead. 

So far in 2026, the store shuttered one location in Pleasanton, California, in February and plans to close one in Springfield, Virginia, in May. It remains to be seen whether these are isolated closures.

In 2025, the store shut down eight locations in California, Colorado, and six other states. Below, see which states lost JCPenney stores in 2025.

• San Bruno: 1122 El Camino Real

The Shops at Tanforan lost its JCPenney on May 25 of 2025. No details were released as to why this particular location was chosen, but the company did make general statements about lease negotiations and market fluctuations. There are 62 stores remaining in California.

• Denver: 8568 E. 49th Ave.

The Shops at Northfield said goodbye to its JCPenney on May 25 of 2025. The open-air mall also lost its Macy's. The shopping center, since rebranded as the Avenues at Northfield, is owned by Stockdale Capital Partners. It's undergoing massive changes between now and 2027, potentially including the addition of apartment complexes and new shops such as Nike, Lululemon, Trader Joe's, and more.

• Pocatello: 4201 Yellowstone Ave.

Pine Ridge Mall advertised a storewide sale before closing its JCPenney, with sales from 20% to 50% off. Renovations are underway for Target to take over the storefront.

• Topeka: 1821 S.W. Wanamaker Road

West Ridge Mall lost a JCPenney on May 25 of 2025, but according to the new owners, this is just one of many mall transformations to come. The purchase was negotiated by Advisors Excel, and the location is said to include office space and a mixture of restaurants and other retailers.

• Annapolis: 1695 Annapolis Mall Road

After much back-and-forth about whether the store would remain open, including negotiations and an unexpected lease extension, the Annapolis Mall closed its JCPenney in August. Hobby Lobby, Grocery Outlet, and Onelife Fitness were among the tenants expected to take over the massive space.

• Asheville: 3 S. Tunnel Road

The Asheville Mall JCPenney joined many other locations in going out of business on May 25 of 2025. As of March 2026, there are 13 JCPenney locations in North Carolina, including in Burlington, Concord, Durham, and Greensboro.

• 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 was closed by May 25.

• Charleston: 401 Lee St. E.

JCPenney left the Charleston Town Center Mall in May 2025 after 42 years of business. 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 2025 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 was 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 claimed the merger had nothing to do with the 2025 store closures.

Retail store locations are struggling to stay open in the current economy, and projections indicate it's only going to get worse. 2024 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.