By 1812Blockhouse
If you grew up in this area, you may remember Christmastime at Lazarus Department Store. Although the store, located at the Richland Mall, has long ago closed and was actually re-opened as the Avita Health System’s Ontario Hospital in 2017, memories of Christmases past at Lazarus remain.
A remembrance of Christmas and a local department store typically means thoughts of visiting Santa. In the case of Lazarus, though, this is also means spending some time with a talking tree. Mr. Tree, as he was generally referred to, may have frightened you as a child or fascinated you. More…
By 1812Blockhouse
A national chain with a location in Richland County is the most recent in a string of retailers to shut down in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Christopher & Banks, a national retailer of women’s clothing, has filed for bankruptcy on Thursday in New Jersey and is expected to close most if not all of its locations.
The company recently announced third quarter sales that resulted in a $10.8 million loss. In a press release, the company said,
“Despite the tremendous advancements we have made in executing our strategic plan, due to the financial distress resulting from the pandemic and its ongoing impact, we elected to initiate this process and pursue a potential sale of the business in whole or in part to position the Company for the future.” More…
By 1812Blockhouse
And then there was one.
The era of local department stores is winding to a close, as evidenced on Wednesday with the announcement that the Macy’s store at Richland Mall will be closing this spring. A clearance sale will begin soon and last for two to three months.
This will leave JCPenney as the sole remaining department store anchor still in operation at the county’s only traditional shopping mall, which celebrates its 52nd year in 2021.
The JCPenney store was added to the mall in 1997. More…
By: 1812Blockhouse Staff
Reuters and other sources reported over the weekend that JCPenney is planning to declare bankruptcy and is considering closing 200 of its stores.
According to the Reuters article, which can be accessed here, the current woes of the retailer are tied to the coronavirus pandemic, although there were operating concerns before that.
JC Penney traces its origins back to 1902, when James Cash Penney opened his first store in Kemmerer, Wyoming. More…
J. C. Penney Company, Inc. announced Wednesday that in response to the evolving global Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, it will temporarily close its stores and business offices, starting at 7 PM local time on Wednesday. The stores and business offices are scheduled to reopen April 2.
“With the effects of the outbreak being felt more each day, our primary concern and area of focus is and has been on the health and safety of our associates, our customers, and our communities,” said Jill Soltau, chief executive officer of JCPenney. “We know this is a critical, unprecedented time and our thoughts are with those who have been impacted.” More…
In a move sure to impact retail shopping in Richland County, Macy’s, Inc. has announced a temporary closing of all of its locations.
The company announced on Tuesday that In response to the widespread COVID-19 outbreak, it temporarily closed all stores by end of business on Tuesday, March 17 through March 30. This includes all Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s, Bluemercury, Macy’s Backstage, Bloomingdales the Outlet and Market by Macy’s stores. Macy’s, Inc. will provide benefits and compensation to its impacted workforce. More…
Dozens of people from Richland County and beyond took part Friday in the 2nd Annual Step Into Spring Fun Walk at the Richland Mall.
The free event culminated local activities to mark March as Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month. There was no required walking distance, although participants were encouraged to do at least two laps inside the mall or the equivalent of one mile. More…
The saga of Sears continues.
Major news sources were reporting on Thursday afternoon that a bankruptcy judge in New York has approved the sale of what remains of Sears to a hedge fund controlled by the company’s chairperson, Eddie Lampert.
This, in turn, means that the wishes of creditors seeking total liquidation will not take place at this time. More…
As they say, “no news is good news.”
That observations applies as the closure of mainline department stores and other traditional bricks-and-mortar retailers continues across the country, with four of those retailers with a strong local presence are among that number. To date, however, no Richland County store has been impacted this year. More…
As the venerable department store chain Sears continues its shrinkage as it nears possible liquidation, additional closures of both Sears and K Mart locations nationwide have been announced.
These include the two remaining locations in Columbus, at Tuttle Crossing and Polaris Fashion Place, but for the time being the store at Richland Mall is not on that list. More…
