The King of Prussia Mall's JCPenney is shuttering this summer as part of the department store's nationwide downsizing, according to a company announcement Friday.
The closures of 138 JCPenneys will likely occur in June, the company said, with the "liquidation process" beginning in mid-April.
Retail observers say the shrinking footprints of traditional department stores like JCPenney and Macy's, which dominated American shopping for decades, is a sign of the growing dominance of online consumer trends becoming the dominant market force.
The release of specific locations Friday comes weeks after the company first announced that more than 100 of its stores would close. At the time, according to CNBC, CEO Marvin Ellison described the downsizing as an effort to make the company stronger "against the growing threat of online retailers."
In addition to the King of Prussia Mall location, six others in Pennsylvania are also closing.
They are:
- Columbia Mall, Bloomsburg
- Clearfield Mall, Clearfield
- Philadelphia Mills, Philadelphia
- Bradford Towne Centre, Towanda
- Lycoming Mall, Pennsdale
- Willow Grove Park, Willow Grove
"As part of a continuing effort to advance sustainable growth and long-term profitability, J. C. Penney Company, Inc. will be closing 138 stores, one supply chain facility in Lakeland, Fla., and relocating one supply chain facility in Buena Park, Calif., to align the Company’s physical store footprint and omnichannel network," the company said in a statement. "Approximately 5,000 positions nationwide will be impacted by the store closures, most of which will occur in June. JCPenney is in the process of identifying relocation opportunities within the Company for esteemed leaders."
