One J.C. Penney Store in Maine Will Officially Be Closing Due To Company-wide Cuts

Hoping to keep the longtime chain alive, J.C. Penney has officially announced the closure of 138 stores, including one right here in Maine. It's been a trying few years for the retail giant J.C. Penney. After an attempt at re-branding its image in hopes of boosting sales and its stock price, the company announced in February that it would be closing 138 stores nationwide to "achieve long-term profitability." That put fear into employees and customers of the six J.C. Penney locations in Maine that their store would be on the list.

According to a press release from J.C. Penney, only one of Maine's six retail stores will be part of the mass closure. The Rockland J.C. Penney, located in the Rockland Plaza, will be slated for closure in this spring, with most stores on the list beginning the liquidation process on April 17.

Some employees within the Rockland location could be offered other opportunities within the company. For now, the Maine Mall J.C. Penney will remain open as the company attempts to identify a long-term strategy to compete in a crowded retail marketplace.