Dec. 18, 2020

JCPenney has announced it will close more stores this spring — but the Sioux Falls location isn’t on the list.

The retailer is now co-owned by Simon Property Group, which owns The Empire Mall, and Brookfield Asset Management Inc.

The deal allowed JCPenney to emerge from bankruptcy this month.

“We have always been firm believers in JCPenney, and are very pleased to help preserve this iconic institution and save tens of thousands of jobs,” David Simon, chairman and CEO of Simon Property Group, said in a statement after the deal closed this month.

“JCPenney is now poised for a future focused on innovation and consumers, while continuing to navigate through the pandemic. We are excited about JCPenney’s future growth and look forward to collaborating with the JCPenney team to serve its customers and communities.”

The location in Brookings closed earlier this year as part of that bankruptcy process.

A list released Thursday by USA Today shows 15 stores scheduled to close in 2021 and did not include Sioux Falls.