JCPenney is closing more stores as malls struggle: See a list of doomed locations for 2026

Depending on which trend piece you’re reading this week, America’s shopping malls are either dying a gruesome death or experiencing a Gen Z-driven renaissance . While it’s true that the complexities of retail don’t necessary lend themselves to simple narratives, what’s undeniable is that many shopping malls around the country are suffering from some combination of low foot traffic, high vacancy, aging infrastructure, and changes in shopping habits. Few companies have felt these shifts more acutely than anchor department stores such as JCPenney—a retail chain once so familiar in America’s shopping malls that it would have been hard to picture a mall without one. In more recent years, JCPenney has been closing stores and reducing its national footprint, and 2026 may be no exception. According to a review of local media reports, online review platforms, and JCPenney’s own store locator tool, several locations have closed or are expected to close this year. These include a few high-profile locations, such as the store located in Chicago’s Ford City Mall. As reported by the Chicago Tribune, JCPenney had fought to say open there, but the mall recently closed earlier than expected due to safety concerns. The location was JCPenney’s last store in Chicago. Which JCPenney stores are closing in 2026? Our review found at least six JCPenney locations that have closed or will close this year, although this may not be a complete list. The stores, some of which were operational for decades, are located in six different states: Already closed: 1500 Stoneridge Mall Rd, Pleasanton, CA 94588 Seminole Towne Center, 10 Towne Center Cir, Sanford, FL 32771 Ford City Mall, 7601 S Cicero Ave, Chicago, IL 60652 Rivergate Mall, 1000 Rivergate Pkwy Ste 3, Goodlettsville, TN 37072 Springfield Town Center, 6699 Springfield Mall, Springfield, VA 22150 Expected to close: 1006 Ross Park Mall Dr, Pittsburgh, PA 15237 (September) It’s unclear