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JCPenney to open a new store to replace its shuttered Ford City location. PUBLISHED: September 14, 2026 at 4:11 PM CDT JCPenney plans to open a new store in the next few months to replace its longtime home in Chicago's Ford City Mall, according to a company spokesperson. The vast indoor mall at 7601 S. Cicero Ave. was shuttered in June by a county judge due to unsafe conditions and a malfunctioning fire suppression system, ending its 60-year reign as the area's leading retail destination. The department store chain's new location will be at 8148 S. Cicero Ave. in suburban Burbank, about a half-mile south of the closed mall. "JCPenney has a large and loyal customer base in the Chicago area, and we look forward to continuing to serve them," the spokesperson said. JCPenney's new location is a 39,000-square-foot building, most recently used by a Dave's Furniture & Mattress Outlet, according to CoStar. JCPenney occupied about 180,000 square feet in Ford City. It's not surprising the company would choose to shrink its footprint, said Terri Cox, senior vice president of Matanky Realty Group. Many retailers are ditching massive stores in favor smaller locations, putting the best-selling products on the shelves, selling others online and keeping much of their inventory in storage. "The rent on a warehouse is a lot less than the rent for a huge shopping center," she said. JCPenney has 14 other locations across the Chicago region. It was an anchor tenant at Ford City after the 1.2 million-square-foot complex, a manufacturing site for bombers during World War II, reopened as a shopping center in 1965. Ford City had more than 100 stores during its heyday, but the rise of online retail left long stretches of its interior entirely vacant. New York-based Namdar Realty Group, an investor known for buying up distressed retail, bought it for about $16 million in 2019. Chicago officials eventually filed a lawsuit against the owner, alleging Ford City Mall was plagued by water leaks, open wiring, dirty conditions and poor lighting. Early this year the city asked Cook County Judge Leonard Murray to permanently shut the property. JCPenney fought back throughout the spring, telling Murray that its Ford City store was in good condition and remained popular with Southwest Side residents. Murray allowed JCPenney and a few other stores to operate for a few months, but ultimately sided with the city, ordering Namdar to close the mall by June 22. The Chicago Plan Commission in August approved a plan to demolish the mall, and replace it with a collection of warehouses and distribution buildings. Many nearby residents claim new warehouses will bring diesel-belching trucks to the neighborhood, and oppose the $200 million proposal. The project still needs City Council approval. The loss of Ford City Mall doesn't mean the local retail sector is in steep decline, Cox said. Massive indoor malls like Ford City are expensive to heat and cool, so many have struggled or shut down, but retailers still operate successfully at smaller, open-air centers, she said. A select group of indoor malls, including Schaumburg's Woodfield Mall, where JCPenney is an anchor tenant, and Chicago Ridge Mall in southwest suburban Chicago Ridge, have learned how to thrive, she added. Owners transformed these malls into public gathering spots, rather than simple shopping destinations, by recruiting more restaurants and other experiential retail, and hosting community events. "The economy changes, peoples' shopping habits change, so you have to change with them if you want to stay ahead of the game," Cox said.

Last chance to shop at jcpenney as beloved Mall anchor closes after 40 years. JCPenney is preparing to close its Ross Park Mall location after 40 years in business, giving Pittsburgh shoppers only a few days left to visit the longtime department store anchor before it permanently shuts down. Find Bulk Deals Published on September 11, 2026 Read: 2 min JCPenney will close its Ross Park Mall store in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on September 20, ending a 40-year run for the longtime shopping center anchor as the retailer continues to reduce its physical footprint. The department store has been holding a liquidation sale for several months, with all merchandise currently discounted by 20% and some items marked down by as much as 40% before the location shuts down. Find Bulk Deals JCPenney confirms store closure after four decades at Ross Park Mall. The closure comes after JCPenney was unable to extend its lease at the Pittsburgh location. According to The Sun, a company spokesperson said the retailer could not continue under the existing lease terms and was unable to find another suitable site in the area. "We are grateful to our dedicated associates and the loyal customers who have shopped at this Pittsburgh, PA, location through the years, and we hope to continue serving them throughout our nearly 650 stores nationwide and at jcpenney.com." Discover more Grab Retail Coupons Retail Store The Ross Park Mall store opened in 1986 as a two-story location. In 2019, JCPenney downsized the store to the first floor as the company adjusted its operations and focused on improving efficiency across its retail network. Pittsburgh shoppers lose another jcpenney location. The Ross Park Mall closure is the second JCPenney shutdown affecting shoppers in the Pittsburgh area in 2026. Grab Retail Coupons The retailer previously closed its Pittsburgh Mills Mall location in January. That store was included in JCPenney's plan to close approximately 150 underperforming locations through 2026. Alongside the closures, JCPenney has announced other business changes, including new product collections and adjustments aimed at supporting its remaining stores and online operations. Discover more Download Interactive Maps Find Bulk Deals Download Travel Guides JCPenney joins broader wave of Retail Store closures. The department store's exit reflects a wider shift across American retail, where many traditional chains have reduced their number of physical locations because of changing shopping habits and increased competition from online retailers. Several major companies have announced store closures, including Macy's, Kohl's, Nordstrom, Walgreens, GameStop, Foot Locker, and Saks Off 5th. Retail companies continue to review their store networks as they balance customer demand, operating costs, and the role of physical locations in their overall strategies. The JCPenney Ross Park Mall store is scheduled to close permanently on September 20.

Lowe's names execs to oversee Pro services and AI. Reading Time: 4 mins read Lowe's Companies Inc. announced a slate of new executive appointments encompassing five roles that it said would support the company's "Total Home" strategy. The leadership titles, which became official on Sept. 1, according to a filing made with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, have implications for a range of operations at the Home Improvement retailer. Their capacities will extend across Lowe's Pro and home services, stores, technology - including artificial intelligence (AI) - and marketing. Lowe's ranks No. 9 in Digital Commerce 360's Top 1000 Database. The market research tool tracks North America's largest online retailers by their annual ecommerce sales. Lowe's is No. 90 in Digital Commerce 360's all-new AI Rankings. That set of rankings is available in the Top 1000 Pro with AI Database. Who are the new executives at Lowe's? Lowe's SEC filing dated Aug. 28 named five execs, all of whom were promoted internally to their new jobs. They included: * Joseph M. McFarland III, executive vice president for Pro and home services. * Quonta D. Vance, executive vice president for stores. * Seemantini Godbole, executive vice president and chief information and AI officer. * Adam D. Filipponi as executive vice president for strategy and business development. * Jennifer E. Wilson as executive vice president and chief marketing officer. Joseph M. McFarland III, executive vice president for Pro and home services at Lowe's | Image credit: Lowe's McFarland has been with Lowe's for eight years, having arrived in 2018 following time at JCPenney and Home Depot, where he had been president. He is also a veteran of the Gulf War and Desert Storm, with a service record in the U.S. Marines. Lowe's website lists McFarland's new priorities as being responsible for execution and strategy for Pro and home services, with "driving market share growth and delivering exceptional customer service" as his goals. AI's role at Lowe's. Meanwhile, Godbole, who has served as both chief information officer and chief digital and information officer since arriving at Lowe's in 2018, will add AI to her title, placing Lowe's AI efforts clearly under her control. She previously worked at Target and Travelocity Europe. Lowe's CEO Marvin Ellison noted when sharing Q2 results for Lowe's online sales that the retailer's online AI agent Mylow had achieved triple the conversion rate of Lowe's non-Mylow digital experience with online customers. "The improved user experience along with the compelling value offered by our loyalty programs are driving increased conversion and enabling to dynamic customer preferences," Ellison said in August. In its fiscal Q2, which ended July 31, Lowe's net sales grew by 8.3% year over year to reach $25.96 billion. Lowe's online sales in Q2 were up by 15.7%.