: Developed successful brands like Arizona Jean Co. and St. John’s Bay to provide quality at lower costs. 4. Modern Struggles and Rebirth (2012–Present)
: Following the impacts of e-commerce and the 2020 pandemic, the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in May 2020. jc penny
In 1902, 26-year-old invested his life savings of $500 and borrowed another $1,500 to open his first dry goods shop in Kemmerer, Wyoming . Unlike local mining company stores that relied on expensive credit and scrip, Penney insisted on a "cash-only" policy to keep prices fair for the miners and ranchers. He named the store " The Golden Rule " , posting the motto "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you" above the door to signify his commitment to honest dealing. 2. Rapid Expansion and Personal Crisis (1907–1913) : Developed successful brands like Arizona Jean Co
: Penney lost much of his personal wealth in the 1929 stock market crash but kept the company afloat by borrowing against his own life insurance to meet payroll. Unlike local mining company stores that relied on
: Shifted away from its traditional cash-only model in 1958 .
The brand's later years were marked by drastic strategic shifts and external pressures.