JC Penney Delaying Store Closings

NEW YORK (AP/STAFF) — Texas-based J.C. Penney says it is delaying the closure of 138 stores by several weeks to take advantage of better-than-expected sales at those locations. The company said Friday that more shoppers have visited the stores after it announced last month which locations were closing. J.C. Penney spokesman Joey Thomas says that’s common, and cited reasons including “curiosity, nostalgia and the lure of lower prices.” Stores in the area on the closing list are in Athens, Marshall and Nacogdoches. The closures are part of Penney’s plan to focus on its best-performing stores. J.C. Penney Co., based in Plano, will still have about 900 stores after the closures