Could Amazon Replace J.C. Penney Stores in Rome and New Hartford?

Amazon is making moves.

The online giant already has plans to move into the Syracuse area with a distribution center filling the space once occupied by a golf course in Liverpool. And, according to Yahoo, it's in talks to purchase J.C. Penney stores and turn them into Amazon Go outlets in order to make a big splash in the retail clothing industry.

WPDH.com speculated this week that J.C. Penney stores in the Hudson Valley region of New York state could be part of Amazon's expansion plans. So, maybe it could happen here in the Mohawk Valley as well.

With J.C. Penney's recent bankruptcy filing, and about 240 of its 800+ stores in the U.S. and Puerto Rico already scheduled for closure later this year, the iconic retail chain is in need of a serious economic boost. Amazon could provide that. Plus, it could buy JCP at a bargain price, and it would get the retail space it covets to grow its clothing business.

The Mohawk Valley Penney's locations are inside the Sangertown Square mall in New Hartford and in Rome, on Erie Boulevard West. There's also a Penney's store at the Desiny USA mall in Syracuse.

Amazon surpassed Walmart in 2019 to become the world's largest retailer, and its founder Jeff Bezos is considered to be the world's wealthiest person.