The announcement that three J.C. Penney stores would close in Wisconsin hit the city of Shawano particularly hard. The J.C.Penney in that community is in a shopping plaza on the city’s east side, which also recently lost a 90,000 sq. ft. K-Mart Store.
Shawano Mayor Lorna Marquardt said her first concern is with the soon-to-be unemployed workers and their families.
“The community is really shaken by this,” Marquardt said. “Penney’s was such a good store here.”
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The mayor is also concerned about the future of the Shawano Plaza
“First K-Mart, then Penney’s — that’s going to affect that mall tremendously,” she said. “I’m certainly hoping that the other businesses aren’t affected by it, but of course you can assume they will be with less traffic out in that area.”
The plaza contains a supermarket and a number of specialty shops.
J.C. Penney stores are also closing in Racine and Oshkosh. The Shawano store closes in April.
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