So, I kept hearing whispers, you know, talk around town and snippets online, about jcpenney going out of business. It wasn’t the first time, felt like I’d heard that song before. But this time, someone mentioned the store over at the Westside Mall specifically.
Got me curious, you know? Had a free Saturday afternoon, so I thought, why not? Decided I’d drive over there myself. See what was really going on. My practical goal? Maybe snag some deals if things were really shutting down. Needed some new socks anyway.
Pulled into the mall parking lot. First thing I noticed – way fewer cars than usual for a Saturday near the JCPenney entrance. That was kinda the first sign, felt a bit off. Walked towards the doors, those big glass ones they all have. Looked a bit dingy, maybe just needed a wash, maybe something more.
Went inside. The air didn’t have that usual department store buzz. Quieter. Felt kinda… heavy? Yeah, that’s the word. Not bustling. Saw some red and yellow signs slapped up here and there. “Clearance,” “Reduced,” that sort of thing. But it wasn’t like a crazy fire sale vibe, more like… just normal clearance, but maybe a bit more of it.
My Walkthrough
Started wandering around. Went through the men’s section first.
- Racks looked kinda sparse in places.
- Lots of odd sizes left, the usual clearance situation.
- Found a couple of shirts, decent brands, marked down but not like dirt cheap.
- Picked up a polo, felt the material. Seemed okay. Put it back.
Moved over towards housewares. Always liked checking their kitchen stuff. Same story there. Empty spots on shelves. Some decent discounts on towels and bedding, but again, nothing screamed “liquidating everything!” More like they were just trying really hard to move old stock.
The staff… didn’t see many. The few I did see looked kinda tired, maybe a bit stressed? Can’t blame them if the rumors are flying. Nobody was pushy, just doing their thing folding clothes or standing near a register. Didn’t feel right asking them straight up, “Hey, you guys closing?” You just don’t do that.
Walked around for maybe 30 minutes total. Looked at shoes, glanced at the jewelry counter (which looked pretty much normal, oddly enough). The whole experience just felt… deflated. It wasn’t chaotic or desperate, just… slow. Like the store itself was tired.
Ended up leaving without buying anything. Didn’t even find socks I liked. Driving home, I thought about it. Is JCPenney really going out of business? Maybe not all at once, everywhere. But that store, the one I just walked through? It definitely didn’t feel like it was thriving. It felt like it was just… fading. Reminded me of how it used to be packed during back-to-school or holidays. Different world now. Kinda sad, honestly. Felt like watching an old friend slowly get sick. That was my Saturday mission. Didn’t get the crazy deals, but I saw what I saw.
