JCPenney is making a move in Wayne but won’t be going far.

The department store chain plans to shutter its longtime location at Wayne Towne Center and relocating across the road to Willowbrook Mall by the end of March.

JCPenney will take over a two-floor, 120,000-square-foot anchor spot left vacant after Lord & Taylor closed three years ago as part of a Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Discount retailer Shopper’s Find replaced Lord & Taylor before closing in late 2022. 

At Brookfield Properties‘ Willowbrook Mall, JCPenney joins a lineup that includes BJ’s Wholesale Club, Bloomingdale’s, Dave & Buster’s, Cinemark and Macy’s.

A representative for Brookfield did not immediately respond to a request for comment. However the mall’s senior general manager, Ryan Hidalgo, told TapInto the property is excited to welcome JCPenney. He called it a “preeminent” brand with an established presence in the community “for a long, long time.”

Hidalgo also believes JCPenney’s move “to relocate to our center to take advantage of the superior customer traffic” speaks to “the strength of Willowbrook and the draw we have within the region.”

Longtime resident

Of Vornado Realty Trust-owned Wayne Towne Center’s anchors – which include Costco, Nordstrom Rack, UFC Fit and Dick’s Sporting Goods – JCPenney is the Route 23 property’s oldest tenant. The 127,000-square-foot store first opened in 1974.

An inquiry regarding JCPenney’s departure, as well as future plans for the space, was not immediately answered by Vornado.

In a statement to NJBIZ, JCPenney noted its 50-year history in the Passaic County township and said it is eager to welcome customers into a brand-new location.

“We’re grateful for the longtime support of the community and look forward to continuing to serve the people of Wayne,” the company said.

Founded in 1902, the Texas-based retailer has 663 stores in the U.S. and Puerto Rico. Besides Wayne, JCPenney has nine other locations in New Jersey: Cherry Hill, Deptford, East Brunswick, Freehold, Jersey City, Rockaway, Toms River, Trenton and Woodbridge.

After the chain filed for Chapter 11 relief in May 2020, mall REITs Simon Property Group and Brookfield Asset Management bought JCPenney out of bankruptcy later that year.

All sales are final

In January, Sears announced that its last remaining store in New Jersey is closing for good. Click here for more.