Here’s How JCPenney’s Roots are Connected to Northern Colorado

With more than 650 stores nationwide, JCPenney is one of the largest and most recognized retailers in the United States. The company has been in business for over 120 years, but many people might be surprised to learn that this popular store's beginning can be traced back to northern Colorado.

Surprisingly, Longmont, Colorado played an important role in retail history, because this is where JCPenney's roots began.

In 1898, a man named James Cash Penney opened a meat market and bakery at 331 Main Street in Longmont. While Penney's market had a prime location in the heart of the city and close to a hotel, it wasn't doing so well business-wise. After just a few years, Penney was forced to close up shop.

Following the failure of his meat market, Penney learned the dry goods trade from Longmont merchant T. M. Callahan. Callahan owned a small chain of stores called the Golden Rule and was happy to teach Penney his savvy business strategies.

With this new knowledge of retail, Penney moved to Kemmerer, Wyoming, and opened his own Golden Rule store. This was the first of a nationwide retail empire that he would soon rename J. C. Penney’s.

In 1917, Penney returned to Longmont and opened his 169th store at 315 Main Street. According to the Longmont Leader, the department store was a part of the community for many years. This store operated downtown until 1985 and was then moved to the Twin Peaks Mall, which closed in 2014. After that, the store relocated across the street to 955 S. Hover Street until permanently closing in 2017, a century after the first Longmont J.C. Penney store opened.

The building on Main Street that once housed Penney's meat market is now featured as a stop on the Longmont Downtown History Walking Tour.

Penney remained involved with the company in various roles throughout his life, serving as a director until his death at age 95.