J.C. Penny

They're also closing 138 stores.  Hardly following the lead of Menards.

Rusty

Scary thought. Their success over the past few years is not to be emulated.

Gerry

J.C. Penney Adding Toy Shops to All Stores

J.C. Penney said on Thursday that it is opening toy shops in all of its brick and mortar locations in order to continue to explore new merchandise categories and differentiate its business.

The toy shops will be strategically placed near the retailer's Disney Collection and feature an extensive selection of toys for kids of all ages including dolls, action figures, race cars, arts and crafts sets, and board games.

There will be an expanded selection of toys found on the company website. Toys from Mattel and Hasbro will be available as well.

"J.C. Penney has a nostalgic history of selling sought-after toys in our early Christmas catalogs, so we brought toys back last holiday season to see if they would resonate once again. We were extremely pleased by customer response and confidently made the decision to grow our toy assortment in stores and at JCPenney.com," J.C. Penney executive VP and chief merchant John Tighe said.

 Source: Amanda Schiavo  July 13, 2017 - AP & CNBC

No mention of Lionel or MTH Electric Trains in this article.

Gary

I remember them having toy departments in the local JCP in the 70's into probably maybe the mid to late 80's. 

Well before the internet, obviously - and there were also more dedicated toy stores at the same time.  Near me, we had TRU and Child World as large stand alone stores (and on smaller scale Play World as well), and a Kay Bee in probably every shopping mall.

Somehow I have a feeling adding toys is not going to turn the JCP ship around (any more than it will bring other toy retailers back as brick and mortar storefronts), though I will be happy to be wrong.

-Dave

Good luck to them but I prefer mom and pop toy and hobby stores whenever they are available.

Are they going to open toy stores or toy department's???

The cannot run a basic big box store.

JCP used to have great looking clothes with a moderate cut an a reasonable price. Got lots of clothes from them from N Shepherd across from Sears in Houston.  This was JCP clothes only except for some toys in the fall season.  When stores start adding stuff not part of the base all year, the gig is up.

In January, J.C. Penney announced plans to close seven of its U.S. stores.

It was the third straight year in which the company had announced closings at the beginning of the year; it shuttered 40 stores in 2015 and 33 in 2014.

 Source: NBC Detroit

Didn't Penneys offer limited run Lionel engines back in the 70's or so?

Engine, a piece of track and a plexiglass dust cover.

Back then I know they did offer some Lionel items but to what extreme I don't remember.....

So if they are closing stores why are they adding toy shops? I don't think there are any left here in Southwest Michigan.

As above l bought clothes there while l was working, two of them, anchors in malls with Sears..both gone as is Sears, and once favored K-Mart...a third JCP is just hanging on., if it still is...

"...but I prefer mom and pop toy and hobby stores whenever they are available."

For most of us, that is never.

Anyway, the Penney's thing doesn't seem to have much to do with model RR'ing, so....?

Yardmaster posted:

Didn't Penneys offer limited run Lionel engines back in the 70's or so?

D500 posted:

Anyway, the Penney's thing doesn't seem to have much to do with model RR'ing, so....?

They sold an exclusive Lionel engine quite a few years through the catalog department from the early 80's through the early 2000's, possibly not continuously.

The earliest one I remember (possibly the first? 1980?) was the Silver Shadow Atlantic Coast Line steam engine.

The last one I recall (though there might have been another) was the 2003 Southern Pacific MU Interurban.  this one was cool since it had TMCC, but I'll admit I only bought when they heavily cleared it out.  I seem to recall getting a pair of them for just over $300.  {edit: based on CWBurfle response, yes, I meant I bought 2 units.  they were sold as singles}

So this does in a way have to do with Model Railroading, but even when they did offer these, they were not for sale in the toy department, I don't think.  Just catalog orders.

-Dave

I admire any brick-and-mortar business willing to initiate a new incentive to attract customers. Sometimes it means going out on a limb, but kudos to those willing to make the effort while most just throw in the towel. I shop at JC Penney's on a fairly regular basis and have no complaints. I do a lot of buying online (Amazon Prime), but always prefer local when it makes sense to do so. And that includes where I buy my trains...a 45-minute-or-so drive each way, but well worth it

Remember they use to have a special lionel engine each year in the 80s, I have the Wabash FM

I purchased that Southern Pacific MU on closeout too.
To be clear, it was a single unit, Dave must have purchased two.
Each offering came with a display case.
It's my impression that the Wabash Trainmaster is the most highly prized of all their specials.

I wish them well with their toy departments.
The Boscovs in my local mall seems to have reduced the size of their toy department.
For a number of years they had some great deals on Lionel and Kline O gauge trains.
Don't know what they carry now, the last few times I looked, there wasn't any Lionel.

This is clearly as case of way too little, way too late.

Anyone in their 40s or older remembers anxiously waiting for the JCP and Sears Christmas catalogs in the fall, only interested in the back end where the toys were (and until I was about 12 or so, a publication of stuff I’d never get to have). But in an era of internet everything at the click of a mouse, this idea reeks of desperation. This is probably the second of the three times someone drowning usually goes under before it’s all over. I feel for the people at those “mall anchor” stores that were fixtures of our youth. The time is coming when we’ll talk of these stores the way we do of Radio Shack and Blockbuster Video…

DennyM posted:

So if they are closing stores why are they adding toy shops?

The way I read it, it's a "store within a store" and not a separate brick and mortar store.  Probably filling available vacant space.

Rusty

No one buys clothes at J.C. Penney anymore. Who's gonna buy toys there?

Between Target, Walmart , and the internet, the old "catalog" stores like J.C. Penney and Sears have gone the way of the dinosaurs.

 I think Toys R Us probably struggles to sell toys in this day and age.

I buy their Arizona Jeans and have for many years. Likewise their St. John's Bay polo shirts. For the price, you can't beat them. I hope they continue in business. Also their Stafford men's underwear is better than any other brands I have tried - lasts longer. 

If they want to try toys, I wish them well.

(And, no, I don't work there or own any JCP stock.)

RickO posted:

 I think Toys R Us probably struggles to sell toys in this day and age. 

Yeah, I really wonder about that. I don't go into a TRU often but when I do, even on a weekend, there aren't many people in there.

When growing up in the 60's. Sears,Penney's,Ward's and two of the three local department stores had large toy departments. Sears and Pfeifers still had Lionel display layouts in 1966-67. 

When the stores made the move to the malls from downtown in the late 60's. Only Penney's kept a large toy department year round. I remember an extensive selection of Marx O27,HO & N scale. The early 70's MPC Lionel appeared around the holidays. 

I wish JCP all the best in their endeavor.

banjoflyer posted:

My best memory of J.C Penny's was saving up to buy a pair of "Desert Boots" which looked sorta like this:

In my high school days those were the cat's pajamas because Steve McQueen wore them in 1968's "Bullit" I think. Now that I see JCP still sells this similar shoe I may have to get a pair!

Mark

Neat looking pair of gunboats. I might buy a pair, myself!

Walked through the local JC Penney' s recently and there was quite a few people looking at clothes. Mostly younger people but people none the less. Like Allan said, applaud them for trying something new.

If the prices are right, they will survive. If they overprice their merchandise like Kmart did, they will soon be hanging a Store Closing banner.

I buy nothing in Penneys. I buy all my clothes in Macy*s & LL Bean in person or on line.  I am a 15 min drive to both. I don't understand how Sears is still in business.

breezinup posted:

RickO posted:

No one buys clothes at J.C. Penney anymore. Who's gonna buy toys there?

My wife and I do. Recently got some family photos done in their photo department over Easter. We have a relatively new store nearby. They have pretty good sales, and name brand items. I'll certainly check their toy dept. for trains if they get one.

 You know, when I first read TR Gary's  post I thought what a dumb idea! But, the more I think about it the more I feel this toy department thing might just work.

After all the best way for any B&M business to succeed is to get people in their doors and keep them there. What better way to combat the internet experience then a touch and feel experience the whole family can enjoy. You know a place to get a pair of desert boots for dad, house hold items along with toys for the kids.

A decent toy department could be the hook they are looking for.

breezinup posted:

breezinup posted:

RickO posted:

No one buys clothes at J.C. Penney anymore. Who's gonna buy toys there?

My wife and I do. Recently got some family photos done in their photo department over Easter, too. Personally, I'm not a fan of buying clothes over the internet. I don't like spending a lot of time returning things!! Clothes are too variable in sizes and actual looks once you actually try it on. We have a relatively new store nearby. They have pretty good sales, and name brand items. I'll certainly check their toy dept. for trains if they get one.

banjoflyer posted:

My best memory of J.C Penny's was saving up to buy a pair of "Desert Boots" which looked sorta like this:

In my high school days those were the cat's pajamas because Steve McQueen wore them in 1968's "Bullit" I think. Now that I see JCP still sells this similar shoe I may have to get a pair!

Mark

It's a model of the famous Clark's Desert Boot. Been around for years. Still popular.

Dave Warburton posted:

I buy their Arizona Jeans and have for many years. 

There was a time when Arizona jeans were all I'd wear.  They had all the quality of Levi's at the time (maybe better) at less than half the price.  Might have to look into them again.

There was an article in the business section maybe 6 months ago about how Penney's performance was surprising many of the annalists.  The changes they were making to the product line seemed to be attracting younger buyers. They were not doing super, but were bucking the trend of Sears etc by improving sales. As with any smart business, some locations just have to go due to poor location, high rent, poor performance etc. I wish them luck.

Steve

I read this is just a way to match what Kohl's has done in establishing a increasing larger toy selection.  10 years ago, Kohl's had no toys at all.

As for Lionel, about 5-7 years ago, JCP did sell a Lionel Santa Fe Steamer set over the holidays for a couple of years.  What impressed me about the display is how they actually had the locomotive out and tethered so customers could actually hold and lift the engine to see that it was not just some plastic toy.  It had some heft and had a heirloom feeling about it.

I think the past few years JCP has just sold various Lionel sets from the website at the overinflated values.  Here's hoping they bring some back in store and perhaps even run an exclusive set.

I have seen where JCP has brought back home appliances to their stores and sales are doing well - toys cannot hurt.  Hey , they are giving things "a try" - whereas the once "high and mighty" Sear's is reaping the seeds they sowed -i.e., giving their customers the SHAFT - just because they were Sears and thought they could get away with it!

mlavender480 posted:

Dave Warburton posted:

I buy their Arizona Jeans and have for many years. 

There was a time when Arizona jeans were all I'd wear.  They had all the quality of Levi's at the time (maybe better) at less than half the price.  Might have to look into them again.

I just broke out a new pair of their jeans today. On sale, you can usually get them for somewhere in the low $20 range, half of name brands. They are the only kind I have worn in many decades. Best to go to a JCP store and compare them with the name brands, though. 

RickO posted:

No one buys clothes at J.C. Penney anymore. Who's gonna buy toys there? 

Must be a regional thing.  Out here, the two Penney's that are not on the chopping block have redone their interiors and the clothing departments are always full with many people buying.  Me being one of them.   Great selection and great prices.

Is your JC Penny's closing? Find out here: https://www.google.com/amp/amp....com/story/99298728/

Dave Warburton posted:

... St. John's Bay polo shirts. ... Stafford ...lasts longer. ..

If they want to try toys, I wish them well...

You can be fully outfitted for work or the beach at Penney's for a fraction of Macy's, WalMart, or Target prices with better merchandise. Shop smart. All of my work shirts are Stafford perm-press. I have Stafford & Hickey-Freeman suits... you'd be hard pressed to see an obvious difference without actually wearing them.

Everything old is new again.......

When the new mall in Charlotte opened in 1975 JCP had a good toy and hobby dept.

And yes.....until Timberlands came along desert  boots were the norm!!! 

Well here's what they are offering in Lionel at present 

http://www.jcpenney.com/s/lion...el&UsrSeg=ulrsmv