JC Penney closes distribution centre

Further signs that the retail downturn for department stores is not confined to the UK alone came with the news that JC Penney is to close its Milwaukee distribution centre this coming summer resulting in the loss of 670 jobs.  It will (and can easily) absorb the workload in its other locations which are working under capacity.  JC Penney has struggled to maintain sales over the past few years but has begun to turn the business around,  yet with consumers still preferring to buy from discounters the future for all department stores in the US and in the UK, for that matter, remains uncertain.