BAKERSFIELD, CA - After a year of re-branding efforts and sinking sales, JCPenney's quarterly numbers plummeted in its most recent earnings report. Nationally, JCPenney's revenue dropped 28.4% the last quarter, a larger loss than analysts projected.
Bakersfield JCPenney representatives aren't releasing their sales numbers, but they say the store isn't in line with the large loss.
JCPenney store leader George Cruz said, "I cannot disclose that information, I can tell you that we did a better than the company did for the fourth quarter."
A drop in sales has left many critics questioning the future of the 1,100 JCPenney department stores.
Cruz said the Bakersfield location met its sales goals for the quarter.
"Bakersfield, again, is one of the highest-producing sales volume stores in the company. It's also one of the best sales per square foot. So, the future for JCPenney is extremely bright, especially here in Bakersfield" said Cruz.
The store's future is literally bright, as renovations in multiple departments are adding new brands and displays.
Cruz said, "We received a brand new Sephora inside JCPenney, which opened in October of 2012 and we exceeded our plan in there by over 33%. So that was extremely promising to know that during this economic time that the Sephora inside JCPenney did as well as it did."
Valley Plaza Mall marketing manager Kristi Jackson says the success of JCPenney is important to the mall as a whole.
"It's critical for our anchor stores to do well because, again, they're the cornerstones. So, it is critical and we support them," said Jackson.
Cruz says they're not going anywhere.
"I think as the customer becomes acclimated to the changes here in JCPenney, they'll understand the concept and then they'll begin to feel much more comfortable shopping in our store as they have traditionally in the past," he said.
In the last year, newly hired CEO Ron Johnson has made many changes including new pricing.
