HawaiiStories: JC Penney Stores Closing

Comments

Posted by helen on October 4, 2002 5:28 PM:

I know it's a bummer. I figured they could have kept the Ala Moana store but for some reason the Maui location is staying open.

On the bright side the entire company is not going under so one can always shop via the Internet.

As far as taking it's place I don't know. The Ala Moana store had 4 levels, I don't know if one vendor would be able to take up all that space.

Posted by macpro on October 4, 2002 7:44 PM:

According to news reports, the simple answer is that the stores that are closing haven't turned a profit in a several years. No profit is hurting the bottom line of the company. So what they are doing, while painful to employees, is stopping the bleeding before the whole chain goes kaput. Basic economics at work here. No demand, no earnings, no profits... closure...

As for what may take the 4 floors of retail space at Ala Moana, my speculative guess would be a Nordstrom's store.... Recently the firm that owns both Ala Moana Center and the Ward shopping complex announced that a Nordstrom's would not be built at Ward... no mention was made of Ala Moana as I recall, but who knows... they could probably become really interested in that prime anchor spot...

Of course the Hawaii economy needs to do better overall in order for every business to make enough earnings to show a profitable bottom line for owners.

Posted by macpro on October 4, 2002 7:46 PM:

One thing that Ala Moana Center could use is a movie theater complex.. though the economics of such a venture would be risky given that the Ward 16 is so close by... still a theater complex occupying some or all of the JC Penney's floor space could be something to consider.

Posted by helen on October 4, 2002 8:05 PM:

It might have to be a Signature Theatre.

Posted by lisa on October 4, 2002 8:43 PM:

I vote for an IKEA! I haven't been near one in years. I thought I heard something awhile back about plans to build one here, but I don't remember the details.

Posted by raevyn808 on October 5, 2002 12:35 AM:

The word going around at Prince Kuhio Plaza was that the Maui location has a clause in their lease that requires them to provide a year's rent for ALL the stores in that mall if they want to leave before the end of their lease term. Sounds farfetched but I've heard similar stories from other mall merchants whenever lease negotiations are going on. We fear that the departure of JC Penney's will start a domino effect with the smaller tenants...again. Ugh, what timing.

Posted by Linkmeister on October 5, 2002 7:43 AM:

On the TV news (and we all know they strive for accuracy, right?) Nordstrom was mentioned, as well as Target. From what I know of Target, four floors is three too many for their usual store, but who knows? I could see a combination of theatres and retail (hey, if Straub could take the old Pearlridge 4-plex and level the floors for a clinic, why not the other way around at Ala Moana?).

Posted by Vivi on October 5, 2002 8:21 AM:

After pondering the question myself, I'd love to see a Virgin MegaStore take up the 4 floor Ala Moana space. I fell in love with the one in San Francisco and I'd really like to see one open here. With House of Music gone, I see a niche that could be filled.

Posted by honukai on October 5, 2002 9:48 AM:

There's a 2-story Target in the Bay Area, so that would only leave 2 more floors... I would like to see Pottery Barn, and they could bring in Pottery Barn Kids as well as Hold Everything to fill up 2 floors.

That space is huge and sadly only a retail giant like Nordstrom could ever survive there if they don't break up the floor plan.

Posted by Stella on October 5, 2002 10:13 AM:

Personally, I think that, unless we're looking at another Wallace Art House, the JCPenney space is a tad too small for a movie complex - and with the WalMart Super Block already a go on Ke`eaumoku, there's also the prospect of traffic around that area getting nastier.

(And, darnit, maybe it's the outsider in me talking, but don't we have enough movie theaters already? I mean, for crying out loud, do we have to wait until general admission goes up to $10?)

Judging from what I've heard in the PR circles about current Ala Moana management, they're a little picky with their choice of tenants - they definitely want something that would complement existing high-end tenants such as Macy's and Neiman's, but without compromising customers or overall safety.

While I'm of the opinion that Hawaii is far overdue for a new branch of Tar-jay, I could definitely see IKEA (word, Lisa), Pottery Barn (word, Honukai), and/or Bed Bath and Beyond taking over the old Penney's space - only because it would be a good fit with the other stores and the existing architecture.

Judging from what I've seen of the Virgin Megastore in Paris, I also think it's not a half-bad idea to open a branch in Hawaii, as well - as long as it doesn't siphon business away from Tower Records across the street on Kapiolani Boulevard. (Sam Goody's hasn't been doing a good job of it lately, if I should say so myself.)

What about Best Buy? After years of seeing their commercials and realizing that we don't have one out here, I don't think it's a half-mad idea myself.

And, of course, if Penney's leaves, that's one less place for me to buy my (ahem) essentials, which begs the question: Do you think we can get Victoria's Secret somewhere in there, too? Please? (Even people I know who work for Vicky's are appalled to hear that Hawaii does not have a branch yet...)

Posted by honukai on October 5, 2002 11:54 AM:

On second thought, we could REALLY use an outdoor store like REI!

Stella, VS was scheduled to come several years ago but pulled out due to the economy. Best Buy actively seeked a location for over a year and finally settled in on the spot next to Home Depot in Pearl City. Although I love Bed, Bath & Beyond, I think they tend to locate themselves at/near outlet malls (any vacancies in Waikele?). Then again, Old Navy made the switch..

The problem with IKEA is the JCPenney location doesn't have a customer-friendly loading dock for their merchandise. Plus they will only go into a market with about 3 million people surrounding.

Posted by Ryan on October 5, 2002 10:30 PM:

Ah, a Virgin Megastore! IIRC, one was "imagineered" to be a pseudo-anchor tenant for an incredibly ambitious new phase of Ala Moana that only got as far as a beautiful scale model (I wrote about the plan here back in 1998). I could definitely see something like that...

Posted by Ryan on October 5, 2002 10:33 PM:

Here's a blast from the past... A couple of photos I took while they were adding the fourth floor to the main mall.

Posted by NemesisVex on October 7, 2002 3:57 AM:

How about turning all that space back in parking?

Posted by helen on October 7, 2002 8:20 PM:

I don't think that will work. For one thing the cars will have to cross the sidewalks to get inside.

Then again one vendor doesn't have to it replace the space JC Pennys took up.

Posted by kane on October 8, 2002 5:50 AM:

i am trying to buy a wedding gift for one of my best friends who lives in hawaii over the internet but i don't what shops are available on Oahu. as far as i can tell there is no IKEA or Pottery Barn. to make matters worse, i live in the uk and would like to do this online. any suggestions?

Posted by kane on October 8, 2002 5:50 AM:

Posted by Stella on October 8, 2002 9:30 AM:

Aside: Gee, the newspapers are all over Ed, Colleen, Mufi and Waihe`e running for congress, and all we can talk about right now is JCPenney? What is our blogworld coming to? ;)

Ahem, here's a thought (and this is for our friend in the UK, as well): Isn't it about time for Martin and MacArthur and Hilo Hattie to ask Ala Moana management for, you know, more space?

Posted by the bunny on October 9, 2002 7:55 AM:

Target is only one level out here where space is less costly. Target would have to take at least two floors to carry all their stuff. But I would doubt they'd want to. Like Ikea, they need space for people to park close, push around carts, and load up their cars. That's just not possible @ Ala Moana.

I consider myself lucky that I live near not one but two Ikeas. In fact, Ikea does so well here that they moved out of the huge outlet mall and built their own massive store (300,000 sf) with 1000 parking stalls. The first time I went there, I was convinced there was an office building attached. I kept driving down the ramp, repeating "surely these spaces aren't all for Ikea?" It's a huge store now.

Nordstrom would be a good choice and fit right in (Like NM, they aren't known for being cheap, although their house brand is a good price). Personally, I think Nordstrom might be overreaching themselves, opening more stores, but perhaps they are doing really really well.

Hmm. According to that list, the Nordstrom open @ Ward is just a Nordstrom Shoe Store Relocation, 17,000 sq. ft., Opened: June 1. I thought they were settled on Ward...maybe they're in negotiations now, because there is no listing for HI other than the shoe store. They'll need about 150,000 sf...

Posted by carrier on October 9, 2002 11:10 PM:

I was very sad when I heard the news. I worked at JC for a year. I know there's people that have been working there for several years, if not decade or so, and I wonder where they will end up. Many of them are now elderly ladies that had worked there for so long that they had nice jobs. Where will they end up?

I can still remember going in to ask for an application and being told that the application was on this computer to the side. It was my first real job. And as much as I hated it I will always hold it warmly in my heart.

Posted by jenni on November 1, 2002 10:38 PM:

Target would do very well here in Hawaii because they have nice things for low prices.

Posted by nickanu on December 21, 2002 1:42 AM:

I also would like to see a target, but dont think it could strive in the Ala Moana atmosphere. I personally would like to see a Pottery Barn or Bed Bath and Beyond.

Posted by helen on January 7, 2003 7:23 AM:

I was passing through the JC Pennys store on Pearlridge on Monday night, the entire first floor was empty except a customer service desk and a couple clothes rack.

Posted by Ryan on January 24, 2003 12:07 PM:

It's gone now. And who knows what's coming? Alas, we've learned it's not a Target or Nordstrom.

Posted by NemesisVex on January 24, 2003 6:11 PM:

Didn't Ala Moana try that before when McInerny closed back in the 80s?

Posted by helen on January 25, 2003 8:58 AM:

Yeah they did.

Posted by maria on January 27, 2003 12:57 PM:

for the love of god could we please get a victoria's secret out here?

Posted by Joe on February 8, 2003 1:16 PM:

In the void of JC Penney's departure, why couldn't there be a facility to replace it that would cater to those folks who, besides tagging along with their significant other while shopping, would rather go to a place to relax, read, watch TV, drink a non alcoholic beverage, or perhaps indulge in video games or a round of pool? Consider a place with a little bit of Dave&Busters and Borders all roled into one. By this, you'd have a place you want to be in while your significant other or family member is otherwise shopping at their leisure.

Posted by Linkmeister on February 8, 2003 3:10 PM:

Pearlridge has something I've never seen anywhere else; a place where you can take your own (presumably hand-thrown) pottery and paint it. I haven't seen any kilns, so it looks like a carry-in kind of place. Why the hell you'd want to carry your creation to a shopping mall to paint it is beyond me, but I see half-a-dozen people in there every time I walk by.

Posted by helen on February 16, 2003 9:46 PM:

It's been over a year and half since I ordered something from JC Pennys but their Spring 2003 catalog arrived in the mail on Saturday.

Posted by Lequita on March 25, 2004 3:30 PM:

I thought I was going shopping at JC Penney this weekend. Guess not, if they are gone. That's really too bad. Is there any place to shop on this Island that has reasonably priced clothes in say sizes 14-16 in womens???? Please tell me.

Posted by Jen on March 26, 2004 3:19 PM:

Either Sears or Macy's is a good bet. Macy's has pretty good sales periodically; check the circulars in the newspaper.

Posted by shawnese on April 14, 2005 4:34 AM:

hello i was stopping bye because i was looking for a job an was woundering if yall was hireing please email so i can know if yall got my comments thanks and have an nice day

Posted by Dan on August 24, 2005 6:10 AM:

wal-mart could take over some (maybe even that 4-story one) because around us we had a sterns in that space but then that sterns closed when the company went down so now its a 2-story wal-mart, you don't see too many of those!

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JC Penney Stores Closing

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