ST. LOUIS (KTRS) J.C. Penney has announced it will close its Hampton Village Shopping Center store … which has operated for almost 70 years … next month. None of the other J.C. Penney stores locally are affected. In a statement to KTRS News, the retailer says the Hampton Village J.C. Penney will close January 21, and a liquidation sale will begin January 2.

The store opened in 1949 and today has about 45 employees, who will each receive a week’s severance and an on-site career training class. The retailer announced plans to close 138 store earlier this year but there were no St. Louis stores on the list at that time.

In explaining its decision, the company said, “As part of the Company’s ongoing efforts to achieve sustainable growth, long-term profitability and an engaging shopping experience across all customer touchpoints, we continually evaluate our store portfolio to determine whether there’s a need to close stores that do not meet all Company objectives.

Taking actions that directly impact our valued associates and loyal customers is difficult, but we will go to great lengths to relocate esteemed leaders, while assisting associates in identifying other job opportunities at nearby JCPenney stores.”