JCPenney stores to remain open in Monroeville Mall, Beaver Valley Mall

Two JCPenney stores in Western Pennsylvania will survive the retail giant’s restructuring that includes shuttering more than 100 stores nationwide.

The stores, which originally were on the list of stores to close but will now remain open, are located in the Monroeville Mall and the Beaver Valley Mall in Center Township, near Monaca.

The company filed for bankruptcy in May. In June, JCPenney released a list of 154 expected store closures as part of its first round of shutterings.

Kristen Bennett, a JCPenney spokeswoman, cited the retail giant’s store closings list when she said there are only three stores in Pennsylvania slated for closure. Those sites include Pittsburgh Mills in Frazer, the Clearview Mall near Butler and the North Hanover Mall in Hanover.

“As JCPenney continues to evaluate its retail footprint and make strategic decisions for the future of the business, some stores – including those at Beaver Valley Mall and Monroeville Mall – have been removed from the closure list and will remain open. We are delighted to continue serving our customers in the Monaca and Monroeville communities with many safety precautions in place,” Bennet said in a prepared statement.

When the company filed for bankruptcy in May, it said it selected the stores to be closed based on an evaluation of its retails footprint and analysis of store performance and future strategic fit for the retailer.

The Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing allows the company to restructure its finances, which have been hit especially hard during the covid-19 pandemic.