Then one shoe has fallen. If they sell Kenmore (a brand I had accidently left out), then look for the chain to close. There will be no reason to shop there.

That's from the list of Kmart stores. The list of Sears stores is further down the article. From the full list of both Sears and Kmart:

Oklahoma
Kmart 4 East Shawnee St Muskogee OK
Sears 428 SW C Ave Lawton OK
Sears 1901 S Yale Ave Tulsa OK

This is a shame. The S Yale store in Tulsa is the only one where I've been able to get good customer service and good product support. The one at Woodland Hills Mall is absolute crap. :(

Not to mention completely horrid management from both firms. Sears had two positives working for it, Craftsmen tools and appliances. They destroyed a great brand in Lands' End, have entertained selling off the Craftsman brand and have too much appliance competition. I say in 5 years they are gone but financially sound based only on the value of their real estate. JCP has nothing. Also dead in 5 years but bankrupt.

No way Sears lasts five years. They're selling assets to cover debts, not to invest in the business. Actually, they're doing what they'd be doing if they were liquidating the company AFTER a bankruptcy. They've just been doing it while the Sears name has at least a shred of credibility left.

They sold the Crafstman name, but it has been crap in the tool community for years now, sadly. Classic Craftsman tools that are found in things like estate sales and such are still worthwhile. I got a few of my uncle's old Craftsman tools from, I'd guesstimate, the 70's or so.

As for JCPenny, they've made quite a turnaround on paper. They're not a juggernaut by any means, but they're in better shape than they were, say, two years ago, and they've put quite a bit of distance between themselves and Sears in the race to the bottom. JCP might actually trip up in all this and survive somehow.

JCPenney To Close 130 to 140 Stores Over Next Few Months

https://consumerist.com/2017/02/24/jcpenney-to-close-130-to-140-stores-over-next-few-months/

Specific locations to be announced in mid-March.

They're saying Penn Square Penny's is on the high risk list.

It appears that Penn Square will probably happen. Maybe Nordstrom can fill the void in OKC.


http://www.bizjournals.com/dallas/news/2017/03/08/analyst-these-j-c-penney-stores-are-likely-to.html

It appears that Penn Square will probably happen. Maybe Nordstrom can fill the void in OKC.


http://www.bizjournals.com/dallas/news/2017/03/08/analyst-these-j-c-penney-stores-are-likely-to.html

Its a newer building built in the 90's with direct access to the parking garage. I would think someone would want it.

Maybe Dillard's can take it over (only half joking). They've taken over other anchors that have left.

This same news source also said the Macy's at Penn Square was closing. Ended up not to be true.

This same news source also said the Macy's at Penn Square was closing. Ended up not to be true.

I heard the exact same thing. Told it was a done deal right after Christmas. Not so much.

I heard the exact same thing. Told it was a done deal right after Christmas. Not so much.
JC Penny in Penn Square on the list to close.

JC Penny in Penn Square on the list to close.
JCP doesn't do a very good job of competing with Dillard's there. I bet Dillard's will be happy. One less big distraction from them in the mall.

It appears that Penn Square will probably happen. Maybe Nordstrom can fill the void in OKC.


http://www.bizjournals.com/dallas/news/2017/03/08/analyst-these-j-c-penney-stores-are-likely-to.html

That would be the perfect location for a Nordstrom or at least a flagship Belk. I think in OKC a flagship Belk would be more likely. Either way, it will be a step up from JC Penney, which isn't what it used to be.

Regardless, it should be an easy location to fill. Penn Square is a very successful mall and that specific location is very high visibility.

JCP doesn't do a very good job of competing with Dillard's there. I bet Dillard's will be happy. One less big distraction from them in the mall.

Man, I never thought of Dillards and JCP as competitors. Dillard's seemed to aim for a different market, higher end/higher $$$ than JCP has ever targeted. No slam against JCP, because I have plenty of their brands in my closet - just never thought of "Well, JCP doesn't have XYZ, let's try Dillard's...." at least not at similar price points.

I always wondered if building at the far east end of the PSM property was the best idea. It always seems like an afterthought to go down there. OTOH, I love that two-story arrangement miles better than their absurd one-level acreage in Moore. I hate going to that store if for no other reason than I feel like I'd better hire a Sherpa to guide me and leave a trail of breadcrumbs so my loved ones can find me when I get lost between menswear and appliances....

That would be the perfect location for a Nordstrom or at least a flagship Belk. I think in OKC a flagship Belk would be more likely. Either way, it will be a step up from JC Penney, which isn't what it used to be.

Regardless, it should be an easy location to fill. Penn Square is a very successful mall and that specific location is very high visibility.
Agree. In Stillwater the Belk store is noticeably better than JCP.

JC Penny in Penn Square on the list to close.

I'd be shocked if they close that instead of the QSM location.

I'd love a Belk, but I guess OKC isn't SEC ready

I'd be shocked if they close that instead of the QSM location.

I actually like the Quail Penney's better than Penns.

I actually like the Quail Penney's better than Penns.

My wife does too. I was more speaking in terms of the malls' health.

I would imagine that Penny's being in PSM is to pricey in terms of rent. I'm not 100% if Penny's owns that building though since it was built later. They seem to be doing better with the strip mall approach rather than the traditional mall approach (like every other retailer). Penn has been slowly working their way to getting rid of the lower/mid range retailers anyway and making Penn a more upper-middle range location....not upscale by any means, but definitely higher end than it was in the 90's. That's what they figure is their niche to stay alive to counter the strip malls....focus the higher end stuff in one place.

I'm wondering if Dillard's might consolidate into the Penny's building though. Not sure on the footage comparison but the way Dillard's is spread out in the two stores has always been nuts. They didn't do squat to the space they took over for men's either...still looks as crappy as the former retailer (Wards was it?...can't remember). If they did, it would be an opportunity for Penn to lease out the smaller Men's section to another smaller dept store brand and maybe something larger in the Women's end. The question....what would it be? It wont be Belks...might as well put a Kohls in there if you're going to do that, but i think they all lump in the same "strip mall comfort zone" that Pennys is in now.

^^^ Some Belk locations in the Southeast are VERY nice. Like Macy's, the quality of the store can vary depending on the location, especially if it was an acquired location that was built as something else and never updated. A Belk like the ones I was used to when I lived in Charlotte would be a huge win for Penn Square Mall.

C. None of the Above :)

Gordman's crosses the finish line first!

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-03-13/gordmans-department-store-chain-files-for-bankruptcy-in-nebraska

C. None of the Above :)

Gordman's crosses the finish line first!

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-03-13/gordmans-department-store-chain-files-for-bankruptcy-in-nebraska
There will be a lot of strip malls with an empty space now.

Kinda stinks for Gordman's. I could usually count on them for some Christmas presents. Although, didn't go the rest of the year....probably part of the problem.

C. None of the Above :)

Gordman's crosses the finish line first!

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-03-13/gordmans-department-store-chain-files-for-bankruptcy-in-nebraska

Interesting - the story I heard this morning indicated they *weren't* closing (like it was a reorg?). This article clearly states its a liquidation....

Kinda stinks for Gordman's. I could usually count on them for some Christmas presents. Although, didn't go the rest of the year....probably part of the problem.
My wife went to the Memorial store last Thursday afternoon and bought a purse. She said she was literally the only customer.

JC Penney just announced the list of store closures and the Penn Square location was not on the list. The 4 stores in OK to close are located in Altus, Claremore, Stillwater, and Ponca City.

Once again that source was wrong. JC Penney at Penn Square is not closing.

http://www.koco.com/article/these-are-the-138-jcpenney-stores-that-will-close-this-year/9146252

I'm surprised that the King of Prussia mall location is closing. That's one of the largest malls in the US.

I wonder how long people here will keep buying into these articles saying a Penn Square anchor will close.

Penny's in Stillwater couldn't compete with Belk, among other problems.

Maybe vacant space from closed Penney's locations will interest other department stores to come in, like Dillard's, Kohl's and Bed Bath and Beyond. Hopefully, they're not all hurting.

http://www.bostonherald.com/business/business_markets/2017/03/sears_says_substantial_doubt_it_can_stay_in_busine ss

http://www.bostonherald.com/business/business_markets/2017/03/sears_says_substantial_doubt_it_can_stay_in_busine ss

Yeah, when a business (finally) starts using that kind of language, seems like the handwriting truly is on the wall. Nothing anyone hasn't been expecting for a while now, but when the company starts saying "substantial doubts" about their future...time to start packing...

With the Target at SW 44th and Western shuttered, and Sears looking like its not far behind, it really gives me concern for that area with two large, empty retail spaces in the offing - and presumably not much of a prospect to fill either of them. I remember when that area was just a vibrant retail core, and it's just sad to see it fade away.

Sooner Dave - i very much agree. And i dont see how the area is ever going to fill in the space. It's not as though you could tear out the structures and get something new built either....or homes. I can see this becoming a blight very quickly. Very sad.

Sooner Dave - i very much agree. And i dont see how the area is ever going to fill in the space. It's not as though you could tear out the structures and get something new built either....or homes. I can see this becoming a blight very quickly. Very sad.

Yeah, and that Sears building is in TERRIBLE shape...heck, I remember it being in terrible shape something like 10-15 years ago, back when it was just starting to emerge that Sears was faltering. They stopped putting any money into the stores, no updates, just crammed in more junk. That tells me the most likely result is either that building stays empty for a long time or someone comes along and plows it down.

That'd be a nice corner for a park...heck, you could call it Reding Park, but I don't know if something like that would ever happen.

That'd be a nice corner for a park...heck, you could call it Reding Park, but I don't know if something like that would ever happen.
I disagree. I think some type of dense, mixed used development would be best for both the Target and Seats sites.

I disagree. I think some type of dense, mixed used development would be best for both the Target and Seats sites.
Listen man I gotta tell you something!

Listen man I gotta tell you something!

Are you planning a new development here, Plupan?

:)

Are you planning a new development here, Plupan?

:)
Me, yes. However there might be some objections due to height. We'll see. ;)

I don't know where to put this but, Payless is closing most of their Oklahoma stores including the ones at 63rd and May, NW 23rd, and the one in Westgate.

I don't know where to put this but, Payless is closing most of their Oklahoma stores including the ones at 63rd and May, NW 23rd, and the one in Westgate.

We're losing both of ours in Edmond as well.

I don't know where to put this but, Payless is closing most of their Oklahoma stores including the ones at 63rd and May, NW 23rd, and the one in Westgate.

Isn't Westgate the name of the shopping center at SW 3rd? The list I saw (from Payless) said that one is remaining open. In fact, that list suggested it as an alternate for the 23rd store.

Payless filed for bankruptcy.

Payless in Mustang closed a few months ago.

I'm no shoe expert or shoe snob or whatever you might want to call it, but I never got the appeal of Payless. From what few times I've been in their stores, they looked like just the bottom-rung variety of shoe and the few pairs my wife ever bought just didn't last at all....not the least bit surprised they're bankrupt and closing down.

I wandered in to the new Rack Room Shoes at the Czech Village, and now I can say based on that one visit that I've been there twice...my first and last time. The shoes they have are very much pay for the name, not the shoe, and that even extends to the socks they had available. I just get basic socks, they go on my feet before the shoes do, no big whoop. Three pairs were almost $20, as far as I can tell merely because they had the Nike logo on them. I went to Payless and paid five bucks for six pairs. While I have no experience with women's shoes, the shoes I'm wearing now were bought there years ago and are still perfectly fine.

There's a really simple reason they've gone bankrupt. They are the latest victim of being bought by shady private equity firms and saddled with a crazy amount of debt that just isn't possible to overcome.

Warning - Autoplay video (http://www.cnbc.com/2017/04/04/payless-shoesource-files-for-chapter-11-bankruptcy.html)

"Like several of the other retail chains that have succumbed to Chapter 11 filings this year, Payless' parent company was purchased by private equity firms in 2012 for $2 billion. That left the company saddled with debt."

They are also closing the store in Sooner Fashion Mall.

They are also closing the store in Sooner Fashion Mall.

Is there a list of the stores that are closing posted somewhere??

Is there a list of the stores that are closing posted somewhere??

https://consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/microsite-store-closing-doc-3-31-17.pdf

J's Hallmark is closing their store at Quail Springs after 30+ years. Quail is really starting to deteriorate.

J's Hallmark is closing their store at Quail Springs after 30+ years. Quail is really starting to deteriorate.

In fairness, however, standalone Hallmark stores are becoming a bit of an anachronism. The idea of a dedicated greeting card store with substantially overpriced side-knickknacks is not much of a mainstream business model as it was 25-30 years agi.

According to a bookie, odds are 7 to 5 that Sears cashes in their chips first.

I haven't seen a store brought down like that since the roof caved in at Walls Bargain Center!

Good to know that all the bud pub for Sears was just the press with an axe to grind or too stupid to see how great things were going.

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-sears-shareholders-idUSKBN1862R2?il=0

Denial ain't just a river in Egypt man...

I was thinking about this. I wonder how much longer K-Mart has to survive? They are already gone from the OKC metro unless you count the Shawnee store. They mostly still survive in small towns where usually they don't have competition, but even there they aren't bringing in much business. I don't know how they've managed to keep holding on this long.

I think K-Mart and Sears are both poster children of becoming complacent and not evolving with the market. Sooner or later, you won't be able to hide behind your name and history and the market will go elsewhere. Instead of gobbling up big box chains in the mid '00s (like Borders, which has also failed), K-Mart should have focused on its own stores and competing with Wal-Mart and the dollar stores.

Both Sears and K-Mart need complete rebrands. K-Mart needs to ditch the name altogether and call itself something else. Years of neglect have given the "K-Mart" brand a negative stigma. Sears is well established enough that I don't think they need a complete rebrand, but something like a new logo, marketing campaign, and updated, remodeled stores could help right the ship there. Unfortunately, the company is bleeding money and I don't think they could afford such a campaign.

JC Penney is in trouble because of the opposite problem. It shook things up a little too much and alienated its core customer. In business, there is a delicate balance between evolving with the times and keep your core customers coming back.

Both Sears and K-Mart need complete rebrands...

That presumes the retailers had any notion of staying in business in the first place. The current owners have been in what amounts to a controlled "pre-bankruptcy" liquidation of assets for years now. They've had no intention of resuscitating their retail presence. That's what's frustrated a lot of long-time Sears folks, and I somewhat consider myself one only because going there as a kid was fairly routine for my family and for me when I was a younger adult.

The current ownership has not-so-quietly been selling off whatever assets Sears had - Craftsman name, Kenmore, etc., which is really nothing more than what you'd do when you were liquidating following a bankruptcy. The guy is just controlling it himself from the front end rather than letting a court manage it. He does manage to put a bit of lipstick on the pig by putting some of the revenue generated by asset sales onto the books and making things look less dreadful for a quarter, but still the long-term strategy is just bleed the thing until it flat runs out of blood, then shut it down.

The time to rebrand/rebuild/redo/rewhatever Sears was before it was bought by KMart. Even then, it was probably too late. Sad part is they were arguably positioned better to translate into the Internet/Amazon-based shopping economy than any other retailer in the country with their entrenched name recognition, catalog-based shopping, and network-based delivery setup....ahhhh, what might have been...

They'll continue to gasp along until the guys who own it have extracted whatever they can out of it, then it'll be gone.

At least JCPenny is *trying* to turn things around.....trying...

Yeah I think there is a good chance that Sears/Kmart just doesn't care anymore at this point. They are simply "letting the clock run out" so to speak.

I was thinking about this. I wonder how much longer K-Mart has to survive? They are already gone from the OKC metro unless you count the Shawnee store. They mostly still survive in small towns where usually they don't have competition, but even there they aren't bringing in much business. I don't know how they've managed to keep holding on this long.

I think K-Mart and Sears are both poster children of becoming complacent and not evolving with the market. Sooner or later, you won't be able to hide behind your name and history and the market will go elsewhere. Instead of gobbling up big box chains in the mid '00s (like Borders, which has also failed), K-Mart should have focused on its own stores and competing with Wal-Mart and the dollar stores.

Both Sears and K-Mart need complete rebrands. K-Mart needs to ditch the name altogether and call itself something else. Years of neglect have given the "K-Mart" brand a negative stigma. Sears is well established enough that I don't think they need a complete rebrand, but something like a new logo, marketing campaign, and updated, remodeled stores could help right the ship there. Unfortunately, the company is bleeding money and I don't think they could afford such a campaign.

JC Penney is in trouble because of the opposite problem. It shook things up a little too much and alienated its core customer. In business, there is a delicate balance between evolving with the times and keep your core customers coming back.
As for K Mart, every time I see Grown Ups 2 on TV (Don't judge me) and they have that scene in K Mart, I groan. You know K Mart paid for that product placement. And the store in the movie looked so clean, well organized, well stocked with stuff you might actually want to buy. I have not been in a K Mart in the in the last 15 years that hasn't looked like a third world bazaar. Items thrown carelessly here and there. Under stocked. Dirty. Depressing.

Maybe if they'd spent that money on actually improving their company and stores instead of paying to show a K Mart from fantasy land on a movie then they might still be viable.

As for K Mart, every time I see Grown Ups 2 on TV (Don't judge me) and they have that scene in K Mart, I groan. You know K Mart paid for that product placement. And the store in the movie looked so clean, well organized, well stocked with stuff you might actually want to buy. I have not been in a K Mart in the in the last 15 years that hasn't looked like a third world bazaar. Items thrown carelessly here and there. Under stocked. Dirty. Depressing.

Maybe if they'd spent that money on actually improving their company and stores instead of paying to show a K Mart from fantasy land on a movie then they might still be viable.

I agree. Thing is, K Mart used to be like that. Sometime between 2002 and 2005, my family stopped shopping there and I never gave a second thought as to why. I went back to one around 2010 and it was perhaps one of the most depressing stores I've ever been in; on par with the worst Family Dollar locations.

Sears is closing the Heritage Park mall store

http://www.businessinsider.com/sears-is-closing-72-stores-heres-the-full-list-2017-6