JCPenney Closing 154 Stores, Including 5 In North Carolina

NORTH CAROLINA —Weeks after filing for bankruptcy, JCPenney has announced it will close 154 locations nationwide, including five stores in North Carolina. The news came Thursday as the company said the closings are part of its "store optimization strategy."

With a June 11 hearing in its bankruptcy case, JCPenney said, "Following a comprehensive evaluation of its retail footprint and a careful analysis of store performance and future strategic fit for the Company, JCPenney identified the first phase of 154 store closures."

According to USA Today, the North Carolina locations set to close include:

• North Hills Shopping Center, 4217 Six Ford Road, Raleigh, NC
• Richmond Plaza, 1305 E. Broad Avenue, Rockingham, NC
• Biggs Park Mall, 2910 N. Elm Street, Lumberton, NC
• New Bern Mall, 3100 Dr. MLK Jr. Boulevard, New Bern, NC
• Henderson Square, 380 N. Cooper Drive, Henderson, NC

JCPenney announced its bankruptcy in mid-May, around the same time another retailer, Pier 1 Imports, announced it would close all locations. Both companies cited the coronavirus pandemic among reasons for the closings.

JCPenney said it "intends to reduce its store footprint and focus resources on its strongest stores and powerful eCommerce flagship store, jcp.com."

The closings will happen over the next 10 to 16 weeks, the company said.

"I am incredibly grateful to our talented associates for their ongoing dedication and their passion for meeting and exceeding our customers' expectations during this difficult and uncertain time," said Jill Soltau, chief executive officer of JCPenney. "All impacted associates will be treated with the utmost consideration and respect."

As of this week, JCPenney has reopened nearly 500 stores that had closed down during coronavirus stay-at-home orders across the country.

Shannon Antinori, Patch Staff, contributed