In February of 2017, JCPenney announced the closure of over 100 stores nationwide, with Great Bend’s location impacted by the effort to advance sustainable growth and long-term profitability. The closure ended over 90 years of business for the Great Bend JCPenney store.

Thoughts of using the structure for something else have been fairly quiet because of its sheer size, but Great Bend Chamber of Commerce CEO Jan Peters says there are a couple of interested parties.

Jan Peters Audio

The JCPenney store in Great Bend was scaling back their inventory since 2012 before finally closing the summer of 2017. Nearly 30 employees lost their jobs with the closure, including four full-time workers. The building at the intersection of Kansas and Broadway is 50,000 square feet.