Sears; Haywood Mall, Greenville, South Carolina. Exterior view.(Photo courtesy ct36)

JCPenney; Haywood Mall, Greenville, South Carolina. Exterior view.(Photo courtesy ct36)

Macy's (former Rich's); Haywood Mall, Greenville, South Carolina. Exterior entrance. (Photo courtesy ct36)

Macy's (former Rich's); Haywood Mall, Greenville, South Carolina. Exterior view.(Photo courtesy ct36)

Davison's; Perimeter Mall, Atlanta, Georgia. Mall entrance, circa 1983.

Hutzler's; White Marsh Mall, Baltimore, Maryland. Exterior entrance, circa 1983.

Belk; Signal Hill Mall, Statesville, North Carolina. Main entrance, October 10, 2009. (photo by cantnot)

Belk; Signal Hill Mall, Statesville, North Carolina. Rear entrance, October 10, 2009. (photo by cantnot)

Belk; Signal Hill Mall, Statesville, North Carolina. Exterior sign, October 10, 2009. (photo by cantnot)

Sears (former Woolworth and Hills); Signal Hill Mall, Statesville, North Carolina. Main entrance, October 10, 2009. (photo by cantnot)

Sears (former Woolworth and Hills); Signal Hill Mall, Statesville, North Carolina. Main entrance, October 10, 2009. (photo by cantnot)

Sears (former Woolworth and Hills); Signal Hill Mall, Statesville, North Carolina. Exterior sign, October 10, 2009. (photo by cantnot)

JCPenney; Signal Hill Mall, Statesville, North Carolina. Main entrance, October 10, 2009. (photo by cantnot)

JCPenney; Signal Hill Mall, Statesville, North Carolina. October 10, 2009. (photo by cantnot)

former Spainhour's and Peebles; Signal Hill Mall, Statesville, North Carolina. October 10, 2009. (photo by cantnot)

Signal Hill Mall, Statesville, North Carolina. Main entrance, October 10, 2009. (photo by cantnot)

Signal Hill Mall, Statesville, North Carolina. Parking lot between Sears (former Woolworth & Hills) and JCPenney, October 10, 2009. (photo by cantnot)

Signal Hill Mall, Statesville, North Carolina. Former Winn-Dixie, October 10, 2009. (photo by cantnot)

Previously on LiveMalls
Signal Hill Mall

Biltmore Square Mall; Asheville, North Carolina. Interior view. (photo by Pat Richardson)

Biltmore Square Mall; Asheville, North Carolina. Interior view. (photo by Pat Richardson)

Biltmore Square Mall; Asheville, North Carolina. Interior view. (photo by Pat Richardson)

Biltmore Square Mall; Asheville, North Carolina. Interior view. (photo by Pat Richardson)

Biltmore Square Mall; Asheville, North Carolina. Interior view. (photo by Pat Richardson)

Biltmore Square Mall; Asheville, North Carolina. Interior view. (photo by Pat Richardson)

Biltmore Square Mall; Asheville, North Carolina. Interior view. (photo by Pat Richardson)

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Biltmore Square Mall; Asheville, North Carolina. Exterior free-standing sign. (photo by Pat Richardson)

Biltmore Square Mall; Asheville, North Carolina. Exterior free-standing sign. (photo by Pat Richardson)

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Cinebarre Cinema-Cafe, Biltmore Square Mall, Asheville, North Carolina. (photo by Pat Richardson)

Cinebarre Cinema-Cafe, Biltmore Square Mall, Asheville, North Carolina. (photo by Pat Richardson)

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former Goody's (now Davis Furniture), Biltmore Square Mall, Asheville, North Carolina. (photo by Pat Richardson)

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J. B. Ivey & Company, Charlotte, North Carolina. Storm damage due to Hurricane Hugo, September 1989. (courtesy Pat Richardson)

Previously on LiveMalls
The Ivey's Archive

JCPenney; Manhattan Mall (former Gimbels), New York, New York

JCPenney; Manhattan Mall (former Gimbels), New York, New York. Front page of store directory from Grand Opening.

JCPenney; Manhattan Mall (former Gimbels), New York, New York. Banner outside store on 6th Avenue announcing opening. Photographed 9/26/09.

JCPenney; Manhattan Mall (former Gimbels), New York, New York. Exterior entrance. Photographed 9/26/09.

JCPenney; Manhattan Mall (former Gimbels), New York, New York. Mall entrance. Photographed 9/26/09.

JCPenney; Manhattan Mall (former Gimbels), New York, New York. Store directory.

JCPenney; Manhattan Mall (former Gimbels), New York, New York. Main aisle on Lower level 1. Photographed 9/26/09.

JCPenney; Manhattan Mall (former Gimbels), New York, New York. Showcase at mall entrance. Photographed 9/26/09.

JCPenney; Manhattan Mall (former Gimbels), New York, New York. interior display vignette. Photographed 9/26/09.

Manhattan Mall is located in Herald Square at the corner of 33rd Street and Sixth Avenue in New York. The building originally opened in 1910 as the flagship store for the iconic Gimbels department store chain, and was open until 1986 under that nameplate.

Fore more history on this space, click here for my Manhattan Mall post.

JCPenney is situated on the two below-street levels of the Manhattan Mall with escalator and elevator access from Sixth Avenue and direct subway and PATH train access on the selling floors. The store features a Sephora boutique, a large jewelry department, Custom Decorating and a catalog department, pretty typical for a suburban Penney's of this size. There was no Styling Salon, optical department or portrait studio.

The design of the store a bit of a departure for Penney's. The ceilings are very low, only 8 feet high in some places, and the extensive use of black, white and red in the interior details gave it a different look than your typical JCPenney store. Directional and department signs are lighted, making it feel very urban and helping viability. There are showcases and vignettes all over the store and Penney's has made the displays look as good as they can so show off what is actually a pretty good merchandise selection.

As expected, clothing is the primary focus of this JCPenney. Selections were a bit edited in larger sizes and petites, but there was plenty of decent looking merchandise at affordable price points. Some the merchandise clearly wasn't aimed at a typical New York shopper (a rack of teal Alfred Dunner sportswear separates comes to mind), but tourists would feel right at home with it. The home departments were also really well stocked.

There aren't a lot of sales associates on the floor, but the checkouts were very well staffed. They use a queue system similar to ones used by T.J. Maxx and Whole Foods Market, and payment is easy and efficient. There's even a package delivery service with rates as low as $15.00 for delivery in Manhattan.

I think this place has a future. Customer traffic was good for a Saturday and the store has easy commuter and tourist access via subway, commuter train, bus and foot. As long as they keep the merchandise fresh and the checkout speedy, they're not going to lose.

Dillard's (former Hess's), Biltmore Square Mall, Asheville, North Carolina. (photo by Pat Richardson)

Dillard's (former Hess's), Biltmore Square Mall, Asheville, North Carolina. (photo by Pat Richardson)

Previously on LiveMalls
Dillard's (former Hess's), Biltmore Square Mall

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former Belk and Steve & Barry's, Biltmore Square Mall, Asheville, North Carolina. (photo by Pat Richardson)

Previously on LiveMalls
former Belk and Steve & Barry's, Biltmore Square Mall

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Belk (former Proffitt's), Biltmore Square Mall, Asheville, North Carolina. Mall entrance. (photo by Pat Richardson)

Belk (former Proffitt's), Biltmore Square Mall, Asheville, North Carolina. Exterior entrance. (photo by Pat Richardson)

Belk (former Proffitt's), Biltmore Square Mall, Asheville, North Carolina. Exterior entrance detail. (photo by Pat Richardson)

Belk (former Proffitt's), Biltmore Square Mall, Asheville, North Carolina. Exterior sign & detail. (photo by Pat Richardson)

Belk (former Proffitt's), Biltmore Square Mall, Asheville, North Carolina." Belk Blue" parking lot striping. (photo by Pat Richardson)

Belk (former Proffitt's), Biltmore Square Mall, Asheville, North Carolina. Exterior porte cochere entrance. (photo by Pat Richardson)

Belk (former Proffitt's), Biltmore Square Mall, Asheville, North Carolina.Exterior porte cochere entrance detail . (photo by Pat Richardson)

Belk (former Proffitt's), Biltmore Square Mall, Asheville, North Carolina. Exterior entrance.. (photo by Pat Richardson)

Previously on LiveMalls
Belk (former Proffitt's), Biltmore Square Mall

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