A new outdoor apparel line was announced for JCPenney’s under the private St John’s Bay brand. The line of rugged pants, shirts and jackets are to be a part of JCPenney’s men’s apparel offerings, hitting shelves alongside brands like American Threads, The American Outdoorsman and HI-TEC beginning Sept. 12 at 600 retail locations and jcp.com.
A new floor display section, the Outdoor Shop, will open in 100 select stores, taking approximately 800 square feet in the men’s department and will feature bold graphics, modern fixtures and stylized mannequins. The Outdoor Shop will be available in October.
“As America spends more time outdoors, JCPenney is launching an entirely new outdoor category for men that delivers what he wants and what aligns with his lifestyle. Created exclusively for JCPenney by our talented in-house product development and design team, St. John’s Bay Outdoor serves as the centerpiece of our Outdoor Shop and holds a unique place in our private brand portfolio,” said Michelle Wlazlo, chief merchant for JCPenney in a statement. “With this expansion, JCPenney is taking part in the nearly $900 billion outdoor recreation industry by offering functional, durable apparel with our customer expectations at the core, all at an incredible value.”
JCPenney’s has been struggling in recent years, dropping appliances from their stores after jumping into the market just two years ago, and feeling the pinch of internet sales like all other big box retailers. It will be interesting to see how the outdoor apparel lineup does through the end of the year, and hopefully JCPenney will be able to secure a win with this venture.
See also: James (Jim) DePaul Announced As Executive Vice President Of Stores, JCPenney
