J.C. Penney, Gap begin phased reopening of stores
Department store chain J.C. Penney and apparel company Gap Inc. announced Thursday they have begun to reopen certain stores in the region, mostly north and south of Allegheny County, as states ease restrictions meant to stop the spread of the COVID-19 virus.
J.C. Penney has turned the lights back on at four stores in Pennsylvania, including at the Shenango Valley Mall in Hermitage, the Clarion Mall in Clarion and the DuBois Mall in DuBois.
“We’ve now reopened a third of our stores and plan to have nearly 500 reopened by June 3. To do this, we’re operating differently and taking a strategic and consistent approach, keeping associate and customer safety as our top priority,” said Jim DePaul, executive vice president of stores at J.C. Penney, in a statement.
Gap Inc. said it is preparing to reopen up to 800 of its Old Navy, Athleta, Gap, Banana Republic, Janie and Jack, and Intermix stores before the end of the month.
The following locations are now open:
• Gap Outlet at Tanger Outlets in Washington;
• Old Navy at McCandless Crossing in McCandless; Plaza @ The Pointe in Robinson, Miracle Mile in Monroeville, Streets of Cranberry in Cranberry and Tanger Outlets in Washington;
• Banana Republic in Shadyside, Tanger Outlets in Washington and Grove City Premium Outlets in Grove City;
• Athleta in Shadyside, Siena at St. Clair in Upper St. Clair.
J.C. Penney workers are required to wear protective gear; the company said it is providing masks, gloves, and hand sanitizer. The company has staggered shift schedules to minimize associate contact, enhanced store cleaning with a focus on high-touch areas, and added Plexiglas shields at registers.
Contactless checkout from customers’ mobile devices via barcode and contact-free curbside pickup is available in all reopened stores.
J.C. Penney is offering designated shopping hours for at-risk customers at all stores on Wednesdays and Fridays from 11 a.m. to noon. At-risk customers include senior citizens, expectant mothers and those with underlying health concerns.
On May 15, the troubled department store chain filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, due in part to the pandemic. As part of its reorganization, the 118-year-old company said it will be closing some of its stores and will disclose details and timing in the coming weeks.