Photos: J.C. Penney stores in Tucson
J.C. Penney stories in Tucson, from two locations downtown in the 1950s and 1960s to El Con Mall in 1971. The company announced the closure of the El Con Mall store, the only remaining anchor store from the original mall.
The company filed for bankruptcy. It said that it will start closing 154 of its stores starting June 12, 2020, to reduce its footprint.
J.C. Penney in Tucson
J.C. Penney Company store in downtown Tucson in 1955. It's now the Chicago Music Store.
J.C. Penney in Tucson
Standard Oil gas station and Albert Steinfeld Hardware at 100 N. Stone in 1957. They were demolished to build J.C. Penney building. It is now the main library plaza.
J.C. Penney in Tucson
This is Tucson. Really. It was December, 1956, and downtown was exploding with development. Looking north from about Pennington east of Stone Ave. Background, upper left is the Arizona Land Title Building. In front of that, the Pima Savings and Loan building. Foreground, left, is J.C. Penney and right is Jacome's Department Store. At right, behind the steel, the Southern Arizona Bank Building. Then there's the two guys suspended from the crane.
J.C. Penney in Tucson
James Cash Penney, far right, the founder and chairman of the board for J.C. Penney Co., stands in front of one of his newest stores in his chain on North Stone Avenue on September 16, 1957. It also happened to be his birthday and several Tucson leaders throw him a party to commemorate the occasion.
J.C. Penney in Tucson
Exterior of the then new JC Penney on North Stone Avenue during opening day on September 19, 1957. Note, a portion of the Pima County Courthouse is on the upper left side of the photo. The founder, JC Penney himself, was present for the new 62,000 square foot store. The store was located next to the Jacome's and Steinfelds department stores. Over the years all the buildings were torn down and replaced by the Joel Valdez Main Library. At the time Penney's had 1,700 stores in its chain.
J.C. Penney in Tucson
Interior of the then new JC Penney on North Stone Avenue during opening day on September 19, 1957. The founder, JC Penney himself, was present for the new 62,000 square foot store. The store was located next to the Jacome's and Steinfelds department stores. Over the years all the buildings were torn down and replaced by the Joel Valdez Main Library. At the time Penney's had 1,700 stores in its chain.
J.C. Penney in Tucson
The 1957 UA Homecoming parade on Stone Ave in downtown Tucson passed by the Pioneer Hotel and Tucson's biggest department stores: Steinfeld's, Jacomé's and J.C. Penney.
J.C. Penney in Tucson
Pat Palmer helps Kaleb Smithee of Roadrunner Elementary School pick out clothes during a shopping spree at J.C. Penney in El Con Mall, 2008. Catalina Mountain Elks Lodge gave each student $100 worth of shoes and clothing.
J.C. Penney in Tucson
A section of the El Con Mall area near the JC Penney store in 2004.
J.C. Penney in Tucson
Rosana Paz and her mother Rosamaria Valenzuela stand in line to pay for their items during the Black Friday sale at JC Penney at El Con Mall on Friday, November 23, 2012.
J.C. Penney in Tucson
A crowd of perhaps 3,000 waited expectantly at the El Con Shopping Center in front of J.C. Penney in 1979 for the saddlebags to be opened on a giant burro pinata, to mark the dedication of the shopping center's $6 million mall addition.
J.C. Penney in Tucson
Shoppers crowd around Penney's at El Con Mall, Tucson, in December, 1980.
J.C. Penney in Tucson
Work continues on the JC Penney department store at El Con Mall on East Broadway Boulevard on March 18, 1971.
J.C. Penney in Tucson
What was once the front, is now the rear of the JC Penney department store at the El Con Mall, 3501 E Broadway. The photo was taken in Tucson, Ariz., on March 24, 2016.
J.C. Penney in Tucson
El Con Mall in Tucson, 1998. The J.C. Penney store is in the center of the mall.
J.C. Penney in Tucson
An aerial photo of El Con Mall in 1978. J.C. Penney is in the center of the mall.
Rick Wiley
Photo editor
J.C. Penney at El Con is one of 154 stores that will start closing next week. The department store filed for bankruptcy protection last month, making it the biggest retailer to do so since the coronavirus pandemic forced non-essential stores to be shut down temporarily
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