J.C. Penney plans to keep Boise and Nampa stores, close La Grande and Burley

J.C. Penney on Friday listed for the first time the 138 locations it will shutter in the coming months as the retailer seeks to cut costs and improve its profitability.

The stores in Boise and Nampa will remain open. The nearest J.C. Penney stores destined for closure are in La Grande, Oregon, and in Burley.

Like other department stores, J.C. Penney Co. is hurting as more people shop online instead of heading to the mall. The closures are part of the company’s previously announced plans to focus on its best-performing stores.

About 5,000 jobs will be cut due to the closures, J.C. Penney said. The company had about 105,000 full and part-time employees last year.

Nine stores will close in Texas, the most of any state. Eight will close in Minnesota and seven will be shut in both Michigan and Pennsylvania.

Liquidation sales at the 138 stores will start next month, and most of the stores will be shut by mid-June, the company said.

The closings will leave J.C. Penney with about 900 stores.

This story was originally published March 17, 2017 at 5:46 PM with the headline "J.C. Penney plans to keep Boise and Nampa stores, close La Grande and Burley."