Seven years after opening, the JCPenney in the Marquis at Williamsburg shopping center will close for good April 4.
The Manassas store will be also be closing, a JCPenney spokesperson said.
“While it’s never an easy decision to close stores, especially due to the impact on our valued associates and customers, we feel this is a necessary business decision,” said media spokesperson Carter English, adding an evaluation on the underperforming store was completed before the decision was made.
As a result of the closing, 86 employees will be laid off or, if possible, hired at nearby JCPenney stores.
The national retailer is offering all associates on-site career training, which involves writing resumes, filling out applications, answering interview questions and more.
The Marquis JCPenney opened in October 2007 under owner Christopher White and developer Premier Properties USA. It survived the developer’s $24 million bankruptcy and the Marquis changing hands several times between 2008 and 2011.
Todd Interests, a Texas-based real estate investment firm, purchased the Marquis in March 2011 and inherited $38 million in debt.
York County’s property information website shows the JCPenney store changed hands independently of the rest of the stores in December 2012 to Joseph M. and Margaret Ann Girard, a couple of private investors out of New Hampshire.
Todd Interests revealed in February Sam’s Club would be joining JCPenney, Target, Kohl’s, Best Buy and Dick’s Sporting Goods in the shopping center, along with a 100-room hotel and 650 residential units.
Todd Interests announced three restaurants, a 55,000-square foot anchor store and several thousands of square feet of other commercial space would also be coming to that area.
The York County Board of Supervisors gave the developer three more years to build the Sam’s Club gas station earlier this week, as the special-use permit was set to expire in November.
In October, the supervisors approved a bond of up to $5 million for additional infrastructure at the shopping center. The bonds will not be issued until construction of the new retail development is underway, county documents show.
Related Coverage:
- Marquis Developer Asks for More Time to Build Sam’s Club Gas Station
- $5 Million Bond Approved for Marquis Commercial Infrastructure
- York Supervisors OK 100-Room Hotel for Marquis
- Sam’s Club to Open in York County’s Marquis
- York Supervisors Approve Commercial Expansion, Residential Units for Marquis
- Texas Firm Announced as New Marquis Buyer in York
Correction: A previous version of this article incorrectly stated the number of JCPenney stores that are closing or have closed in Virginia. Of the 24 stores in Virginia, the York County and Manassas locations are closing.
