J.C. Penney plans liquidation sale before closing Columbia Mall store
J.C. Penney, the last original tenant standing in the Columbia Mall, will close after a liquidation sale, the company said last week.
The department store off James Campbell Boulevard will be one of 242 locations nationwide to shut down permanently, J.C. Penney said in a bankruptcy filing last week. Five others Tennessee locations — in Cleveland, Dyersburg, Kingsport Maryville, McMinnville — will close as early as September.
“While closing stores is always an extremely difficult decision, our store optimization strategy is vital to ensuring we emerge from both Chapter 11 and the COVID-19 pandemic as a stronger retailer with greater financial flexibility to allow us to continue serving our loyal customers for decades to come,” J.C. Penney CEO Jill Soltau said in a statement.
J.C. Penney originally opened in Columbia in 1981 as part of Shady Brook Mall, later renamed Columbia Mall.
Columbia Mall owner Hull Properties was unavailable for comment.
Hull also lost another tenant late last year. Bath and Body Works pulled out after opening a location in the Spring Hill Crossings shopping center.
Maury Regional Medical Group expanded its footprint in the mall in early 2020. The hospital’s home health business moved into 7,000 square feet of space. Maury Regional has uses the Columbia Mall for its renown cancer center.
“We’re happy with our space,” Maury Regional CEO Alan Watson told The Daily Herald on Saturday.
Hull Properties also been successful in recent years of leasing space to other clients. Columbia Motorsports’ owner told The Daily Herald last week that he has been reaching sales records in April and May. The Gimme A Five store has been crowded with bargain hunters since opening in 2019. Farmers Family Restaurant has been one of Columbia’s most popular buffet restaurants since its opening.
Columbia Mayor Chaz Molder said one of his first calls after his election in 2018 was to Hull Properties. He said he and the city were “more than happy” to help the ownership group facilitate future plans for the mall site.
“This can turn into something positive for the Columbia Mall if it forces its owners to redevelop the property. We are interested in having conversations about what can be done,” Molder said.
The Daily Herald broke the story of J.C. Penney’s closing in Columbia on its website. The story was linked on Facebook and generated 515 shares and 150 comments.
“This was inevitable and maybe it will finally force this eyesore to close for good,” Facebook reader Emily B. Lansdell wrote. “Columbia needs to move past the days of malls and chains as symbols of a “good place to live” — support your locally owned businesses that are popping up everywhere.
“The vibrant growth in Columbia is amazing right now,” she added. “Seek the good, invest in your town! Want to see it for yourself? Go downtown tonight, it’s First Friday, just one small example of what we’re blessed to enjoy in this thriving community.”
Molder said reaction to the story on Facebook was an indication of interest in Columbia retail.
It’s difficult to understand why Columbia can’t get more retail,” wrote another Facebook reader, Shannon Green Arnett. “I’m also afraid we’ll eventually lose our Belk. Then, nothing.”
Belk, located across Brookmeade Drive from J.C. Penney in another shopping center, reopened two weeks ago.
“I grew up when this mall was alive and popping,” Shannon Potts wrote. “To see it go down hill and all the stores go away is sad.”
Bankruptcy Judge David Jones is expected to hold a hearing Thursday, June 11, to consider J.C. Penney’s proposal. If he signs off, going-out-of-business sales could begin immediately. They are expected to last 10 to 16 weeks.
J.C. Penney was gradually reopening stores that have been temporarily closed due to the coronavirus pandemic. The company said nearly 500 had reopened as of Friday.
Published reports also indicated J.C. Penney is in preliminary talks with a private equity firm and some of its landlords in case negotiations with creditors fail. Sycamore Partners, an equity firm, is weighing acquiring J.C. Penney outright or making an investment, Reuters reported.
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James Bennett is editor of The Daily Herald. Contact him at jbennett@c-dh.net.
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The nationwide list of store closures:
Tennessee
Columbia: S. James Campbell Blvd.
Kingsport: Ft. Henry Dr.
McMinnville: Sparta St.
Maryville: Foothills Mall
Dyersburg: Lake Rd.
Cleveland: Paul Huff Pkwy.
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Alabama
Florence: Cox Creek Parkway
Andalusia: River Falls Street
Scottsboro: South Broad
Spanish Fort: Town Center Ave.
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Arizona
Tucson: E. Broadway
Cottonwood: Highway 260
Phoenix: W. Bethany Home Rd.
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Arkansas
Harrison: U.S. Highway 62-65 N.
El Dorado: N. West Ave.
Conway: Skyline Dr.
Batesville: South St. Louis St.
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California
San Bernardino: Inland Center
Los Banos: Pacheco
Delano: Main St.
Yreka: Fort Jones Rd.
Tracy: Naglee Road
Turlock: Countryside Dr.
Paso Robles: Niblick Rd.
Chino: Ramona Ave.
Durango: S. Camino Del Rio
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Colorado
Greeley: Greeley Mall
Fort Collins: Bockman Dr.
Montrose: Rio Grande Ave.
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Connecticut
Torrington: High St.
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Florida
Jacksonville: Arlington Expy
Sebring: U.S. 27 N.
Orlando: E. Colonial Dr.
Mary Esther: Mary Esther Blvd.
Tampa: Westshore Plaza
Brandenton: Boulevard W.
Cape Coral: Del Prado Blvd.
Lake Wales: Eagle Ridge Dr.
Fort Myers: Gulf Center Dr.
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Georgia
Athens: Atlanta Highway
Gainesville: Pearl Nix Pkwy.
Statesboro: Northside Dr.
Atlanta: Briarcliff Rd. NE
Rome: Mount Berry Sq. NE
Waycross: Memorial Drive
Douglasville: Douglas Blvd.
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Idaho
Lewiston: 19th Avenue
Ponderay: Bonner Mall Way
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Illinois
Mt. Vernon: Times Sq. Mall
Calumet City: River Oaks Center Dr.
Freeport: S. West Ave.
Bourbonnais: N. State RT 50
Carbondale: E. Main
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Indiana
Muncie: Granville Ave.
Vincennes: Niblack Blvd.
Elkhart: S. Main St. (U.S. 33)
Bedford: James Ave.
Richmond: National Rd. E
Madison: E. Clifty Dr.
Plymouth: Pilgrim Ln.
Indianapolis: Michigan Rd.
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Iowa
Marshalltown: S. Center St.
Carroll: N. Adams St.
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Kansas
Emporia: Industrial Rd.
Liberal: N. Kansas Ave.
Salina: S. 9th St.
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Kentucky
Danville: Houstonville Rd.
Owensboro: Frederica St.
Hopkinsville: Ft. Campbell Blvd.
Middlesboro: N. 12th St.
Campbellsville: Campbellsville Bypass
Maysville: U.S. 68 S. and AA Hwy.
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Louisiana
Metairie: Veterans Memorial Blvd.
Lafayette: Johnston St.
Shreveport: Youree Rd.
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Maryland
Lanham: McHugh Dr.
Abingdon: Merchant Blvd.
La Vale: Vocke Rd.
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Michigan
Petoskey: E. Mitchell St.
Alpena: U.S. 23 S
Cadillac: N. Mitchell St.
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Minnesota
Willmar: S. First St.
Coon Rapids: Riverdale Blvd.
Maple Grove: Grove Dr.
Eden Prairie: Flying Cloud Dr.
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Mississippi
Laurel: Sawmill Rd.
Starkville: Hwy. 12 W.
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Missouri
Kirksville: S. Baltimore St.
Independence: E 39th St.
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Montana
Bozeman: W. Main St.
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Nebraska
Grand Island: W. 13th St.
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New Hampshire
Rochester: Lilac Mall (RT 125)
West Lebanon: Plainfield Rd.
Keene: West St.
North Conway: State Highway 16 & RT 302
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New Mexico
Alamogordo: N. White Sands
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New York
Auburn: Clark St. Rd.
Oswego: State Route 104
New Hartford: Sangertown Sq.
Batavia: Batavia City Ctr.
Rome: Erie Blvd. W.
Canandaigua: State RT 364
Syracuse: Destiny USA Dr.
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North Carolina
Raleigh: Six Forks Rd.
Rockingham: E. Broad Ave.
Lumberton: N. Elm St.
New Bern: MLK Jr. Blvd.
Henderson: N. Cooper Dr.
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Ohio
Ashtabula: N. Ridge Rd. E.
Akron: Brittain Rd.
Akron: Canton Rd.
Parma: Day Dr.
Alliance: W. State St.
Defiance: N. Clinton St.
Piqua: E. Ash St.
E. Liverpool: Dresden Ave.
Cincinnati: Fields Ertel Rd.
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Oklahoma
Tulsa: S. Yale Ave.
McAlester: E. Carl Albert Pkwy
Enid: W. Owen K. Garriott Rd.
Shawnee: N. Kickapoo Ave.
Muskogee: N. Main St.
Midwest City: SE 29th St.
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Oregon
Salem: Liberty St. NE
Bend: N. Hwy 97
Roseburg: NW Garden VLY Blvd.
McMinnville: NE Hwy 99 W
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Pennsylvania
Monroeville: Monroeville Mall
Hanover: Carlisle St.
Butler: Clearview Circle
Monaca: Beaver Valley Mall
Tarentum: Pittsburgh Mill Circle
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South Carolina
Rock Hill: Dave Lyle Blvd.
Anderson: N. Main St.
Myrtle Beach: N. Kings Hwy.
Orangeburg: Chestnut St.
Florence: David H. McLeod Blvd.
Beaufort: Robert Smalls Parkway
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South Dakota
Brookings: 22nd Ave. S.
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Texas
Lufkin: S. Medford Dr.
Dallas: Skillman St.
Paris: Lamar Ave. Highway 82
Palestine: S. Loop 256
Greenville: Wesley St.
Huntsville: Financial Plaza
Lewisville: S. Stemmons FWY
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Utah
Logan: N. Main St.
Layton: N. Hill Field Rd.
J.C. Penney stores in Vermont
Bennington: 99 Bennington Sq.
Berlin: Berlin Mall Rd.
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Virginia
Staunton: Lee Jackson HWY
Danville: Piedmont Dr.
J.C. Penney stores in Wisconsin
Menomonee Falls: County Line Rd.