Struggling Retailer Plans To Close This MD Location

ANNAPOLIS, MD — Department store chain JCPenney plans to close eight more locations in 2025, including a store in Annapolis, according to a notice filed with the state of Maryland.

The round of closures is the latest announced by the troubled retailer after it filed for bankruptcy in 2020 and closed more than 200 locations.

According to a mandatory WARN notice filed with the Maryland Department of Labor, JCPenney plans to close the location located at Westfield Annapolis Mall. A JCPenney employee told Patch the store will close on May 11.

The closure will affect 74 employees, a state-mandated layoff notice said.

A blowout sale is underway, with discounts exceeding 50 percent off.

According to a USA Today report, the company is also closing stores in California, Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, New Hampshire, West Virginia and North Carolina.

Last month, the retailer announced it had partnered with Forever 21 to create a new company called Catalyst Brands, USA Today reported. The merger also included Brooks Brothers, Aéropostale, Lucky Brand, Nautica and Eddie Bauer.

Catalyst Brands is expected to open 1,800 store locations and hire 60,000 employees.

A JCPenney spokesperson told USA Today that the latest round of store closures are not related to the merger.

On Wednesday, Catalyst announced it was laying off 9 percent of its corporate staff as part of a review of the newly formed business, CNN reported.

“While these are difficult choices, we are confident they will ultimately position us to better serve our customers and deliver on our mission to give them high-quality products at exceptional value for every moment in life,” a Catalyst spokesperson said in a statement to CNN.

Wednesday’s cuts are in addition to the 5 percent the company announced in February.