J.C. Penney at Eagle Ridge Mall on Store Closure Lists

The J.C. Penney at Eagle Ridge Mall is among 154 stores to be closed nationwide in the next few months. Nine Florida stores are on the closing list, including the J.C. Penney store at Lakeshore Mall in Sebring.

"While closing stores is always an extremely difficult decision, our store optimization strategy is vital to ensuring we emerge from both Chapter 11 and the COVID-19 pandemic as a stronger retailer with greater financial flexibility to allow us to continue serving our loyal customers for decades to come," J.C. Penney CEO Jill Soltau said in a statement.

The company's website said it will continue to operate a majority of its approximately 850stores and its flagship store online at jcp.com. The Texas-based retailer said it would be having going out of business sales and it could take 10 to 16 weeks to complete the closures.

J.C. Penney filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection last month.

L Brands in May announced plans to close about 250 Victoria's Secret and 50 Bath and Body Works stores. The closure list has not been made public, but there is widespread speculation that the Eagle Ridge Mall stores in Lake Wales might be targeted.