J.C. Penney slams the fridge door again, exiting appliance game

Less than three years after re-introducing appliances into its department stores, J.C. Penney announced it would stop selling dishwashers, refrigerators and other major appliances later this month.

In addition, furniture will be available only at jcp.com and in select stores in Puerto Rico, the Plano, Texas-based retailer said in a blog post Wednesday. The changes are expected to take effect Feb. 28.

J.C. Penney started featuring major appliances at certain stores starting in September 2016, with the Mall at Robinson among the first to carve out space in its home decor department — about 2,800 square feet.

The department store chain had been out of the appliance game for about 30 years at that point, but decided to jump back in as

consumers began to feel more confident making bigger purchases after the Great Recession.

The move pitted J.C. Penney against retailers like Best Buy, Lowe’s and Home Depot, as well as rival Sears, which had dominated the market but had seen its footprint shrink. Sears’ future is now in question, the company having shuttered a significant number of its brickand-mortar stores and filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in October.

J.C. Penney said Wednesday that it is still finalizing store layout options, “including the reduction of store space previously dedicated to appliance and furniture showrooms to maximize efficiencies, reduce inventory and create an enhanced shopping experience that inspires repeat shopping trips.”

The company added, “Optimizing the allocation of store space will enable us to prioritize and focus on the company’s legacy strengths in apparel and soft home furnishings, which represent higher margin opportunities.”

J.C. Penney is expected to report its fourth quarter and fiscal 2018 results on Feb. 28.