NEW YORK—J.C. Penney Company, Inc. launched its first Manhattan retail store in Herald Square on Friday. Mayor Michael Bloomberg joined J.C. Penney Chairman and CEO Myron E. Ullman at the opening.
The new 153,000 square foot store welcomed celebrity designers such as Kimora Lee Simmons, children from local after school programs, and members of the general public. The grand opening offered discounts on items throughout the store for up to 30 percent off of the original price.
“After 107 years in business, opening our first Manhattan store is a milestone for J.C. Penney and a symbol of our progress in becoming the department store of choice for the moderate-price customer,” Ullman said in a press release.
The new J.C. Penney “brings 500 new jobs to the city at a time when we need them the most,” said Mayor Bloomberg, who also pointed out that the “company’s contribution to the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City for afterschool programming demonstrates its commitment to helping ensure our city’s best days are yet to come.”
J.C. Penney donated $100,000 to support the city’s Out-of-School-Time Initiative and establish the After-School Arts Partnership (ASAP) to provide children in afterschool programs with “great access to New York City’s rich cultural offerings,” said a press release.
More than 40 children representing the Children’s Aid Society in the Bronx came to J.C. Penney on a J.C. Penney-sponsored shopping spree, with a $100 gift card each.
Extremely well-behaved kids in the group’s summer camp and after school programs who can really utilize the gift card to take financial weight off of their families were chosen to participate in the shopping spree, said Octavia Ford, Community School director at the Children’s Aid Society, who accompanied several elementary school age youngsters.
The children said that they and their families also shop at Conway, The Gap, Old Navy, and Macy’s. However, one girl commented that J.C. Penney had the largest children’s clothing selection of all the stores and offers “things in style.”
“The mean income is $66,000 in [J.C. Penney’s] trade area,” said Darcie Brossart, vice president of Corporate Communications for J.C. Penney. People are looking for “great style … to last and to be affordable,” which is exactly what J.C. Penney has, she added.
The new store is less than two blocks away from Macy’s flagship store on 34th Street.
“There is market share to be had … we are out to compete for the business,” said Brossart who pointed out that the subway connection that comes into the store and the bustling major shopping area will allow those looking for their money to stretch further to give J.C. Penney a try.
The new 153,000 square foot store welcomed celebrity designers such as Kimora Lee Simmons, children from local after school programs, and members of the general public. The grand opening offered discounts on items throughout the store for up to 30 percent off of the original price.
“After 107 years in business, opening our first Manhattan store is a milestone for J.C. Penney and a symbol of our progress in becoming the department store of choice for the moderate-price customer,” Ullman said in a press release.
The new J.C. Penney “brings 500 new jobs to the city at a time when we need them the most,” said Mayor Bloomberg, who also pointed out that the “company’s contribution to the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City for afterschool programming demonstrates its commitment to helping ensure our city’s best days are yet to come.”
J.C. Penney donated $100,000 to support the city’s Out-of-School-Time Initiative and establish the After-School Arts Partnership (ASAP) to provide children in afterschool programs with “great access to New York City’s rich cultural offerings,” said a press release.
More than 40 children representing the Children’s Aid Society in the Bronx came to J.C. Penney on a J.C. Penney-sponsored shopping spree, with a $100 gift card each.
Extremely well-behaved kids in the group’s summer camp and after school programs who can really utilize the gift card to take financial weight off of their families were chosen to participate in the shopping spree, said Octavia Ford, Community School director at the Children’s Aid Society, who accompanied several elementary school age youngsters.
The children said that they and their families also shop at Conway, The Gap, Old Navy, and Macy’s. However, one girl commented that J.C. Penney had the largest children’s clothing selection of all the stores and offers “things in style.”
“The mean income is $66,000 in [J.C. Penney’s] trade area,” said Darcie Brossart, vice president of Corporate Communications for J.C. Penney. People are looking for “great style … to last and to be affordable,” which is exactly what J.C. Penney has, she added.
The new store is less than two blocks away from Macy’s flagship store on 34th Street.
“There is market share to be had … we are out to compete for the business,” said Brossart who pointed out that the subway connection that comes into the store and the bustling major shopping area will allow those looking for their money to stretch further to give J.C. Penney a try.
