: Following the impacts of e-commerce and the 2020 pandemic, the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in May 2020.

The story of J.C. Penney began in a small Wyoming mining town and evolved into an American retail empire built on a simple moral principle: the . 1. The Wyoming Frontier (1902)

: Under his continued influence (he served as honorary chairman until his death at age 95 in 1971), the brand introduced several mainstays of American shopping:

: By 1913, the chain had grown to 34 stores and was officially incorporated as the J.C. Penney Company .

: Shifted away from its traditional cash-only model in 1958 .

: J.C. Penney emerged from bankruptcy under the ownership of Simon Property Group and Brookfield Properties . Today, it operates roughly 660 stores and has launched a multi-year reinvestment plan to modernize its technology and store experience.

The brand's later years were marked by drastic strategic shifts and external pressures.