HUNTINGTON, Ind. (WPTA 21) – Online retailers have claimed another local victim.
J.C Penney Company, Inc. issued the list of stores affected by is restructuring. The company announced in February that it is closing 138 stores and a supply chain. The company said this will allow it to adjust its business to compete against the growing threat of online retailers.
“We believe the relevance of our brick and mortar portfolio will be driven by the implementation of these initiatives consistently to a larger percent of our stores,” Marvin Ellison, chairman and CEO of JCPenney said. “Therefore, our decision to close stores will allow us to raise the overall brand standard of the Company and allocate capital more efficiently.”
Approximately 5,000 positions nationwide will be impacted by the store closures, most of which will occur in June. The company said affected associates will receive separation benefits, which includes assistance identifying other employment opportunities and outplacement services such as resume writing and interview preparation.
The company also offered a voluntary early retirement program for approximately 6,000 eligible associates. This generally includes home office, stores and supply chain personnel who met certain criteria related to age and years of service as of Jan. 31. The company said eligible employees need to accept the program on or before March 17, when the consideration period expires.
Most affected stores will begin the liquidation process on April 17. Five stores in Indiana and four stores in Ohio are impacted by the closure.
The Indiana stores affected by the closure include:
- The Huntington JCPenney in Huntington Plaza
- The Columbus JCPenney in FairOaks Mall
- The Connersville JCPenney in Connersville Plaza
- The Jasper JCPenney in Jasper Manor Center
- The Logansport JCPenney in Logansport Mall
The Ohio stores affected by the closure include:
- The Findlay JCPenney in Findlay Village Mall
- The New Philadelphia JCPenney in New Towne Mall
- The Richmond Heights JCPenney in Richmond Town Square
- The St. Marys JCPenney in St. Mary’s Square