JCPenney Closing All Outlet Stores

After more than 50 years in business, JC's 5 Star Outlet/JCPenney Outlet announced the wind down of operations and the closing of all 15 Outlet stores in 14 states. "Going Out of Business" or "Total Inventory Blowout" sales will start Wednesday in each Outlet store, offering consumers $70 million worth of quality name brand and Private label products at significant discounts from the already low outlet prices of 25 percent to 75 percent off comparative retail.

The Outlet stores trace their roots to the JCPenney Company's 1962 purchase of a Milwaukee, Wis.,mail order company, the General Merchandise Company. JCPenney realized the need for a process to sell overstocked and discontinued merchandise from its catalog and mail order operations, and in 1963 opened its first new Outlet store in Wauwatosa, Wis. This original store, selling overstocked and discontinued merchandise, was advertised as "Penney's Catalog Warehouse Outlet, an all-new, revolutionary type of Penney store."

The Outlet stores, which had been designated for closure by JCPenney, were acquired by SB Acquisitions in October 2011.

Glen Gammons, the former head of the JCPenney Outlet Store Division, and CEO of JC's 5 Star Outlet, said closing the Outlet stores was a painful decision.

"The closing of the Outlets was necessitated by the precipitous decline of sales," Gammons said. "After exploring all the alternatives, we could no longer incur the losses resulting from the continued operation of the Outlet stores."

Gammons continued, "We wish to thank all of our associates for their hard work and dedication to the company throughout the years."

JC's 5 Star Outlet/JCPenney Outlet sells a wide range of private-label and national-brand apparel, shoes, and accessories for the entire family, as well as small electrics, domestics, housewares, and other products for the home.

"With discounts ranging up to 50 percent off the Outlet store price on fresh, in-season merchandise and clearance goods, consumers will realize significant savings off our already low Outlet prices," Gammons said.

In addition to the inventory liquidation, fixtures and equipment from the stores also will be sold.

JC's 5 Star Outlet/JCPenney Outlet locations:
Decatur Mall, 1801 Beltline Rd. SW, Decatur, AL
Arizona Mills Mall, 5000 S. Arizona Mills Circle, Tempe, AZ
Ontario Mills Mall, 4410 Mills Circle, Ontario, CA
Sawgrass Mills Mall, 12801 West Sunrise Blvd, Sunrise FL
5500 S. Expressway, I-75 at Exit 237, Forest Park, GA
Machesney Park Mall, 8702 N. 2nd Street, Machesney Park. IL
9495 W. 75th Street, I-35 at 75th St., Overland Park, KS
3430 Preston Highway, I-65 at Exit 131B, Louisville, KY
Jamestown Mall, 246 Jamestown Mall, Florissant, MO
190 East Glendale Avenue, Sparks, NV
2361 Park Crescent Drive< I-70 at Brice, Columbus, OH
Rolling Acres Mall, 2442 Romig Road, Akron, OH
Fairgrounds Square Mall, 3050 N. 5th Street Highway, Reading PA
Grapevine Mills Mall, 3000 Grapevine Mills Parkway, Grapevine TX
Liberty Fair Mall, 240 Commonwealth Blvd., Martinsville VA