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J.C. Penney takes Manhattan

July 8, 2009

A staple of Midwestern malls, retailer J.C. Penney is getting ready to open its first store in Manhattan, and it's doing so with an edgier advertising push than is typical for the company.

The store will open July 31st at 33rd and 6th, and will arrive in the wake of a cheeky marketing campaign that sees the retailer trying to shed its staid and "heartland" image.

One ad for the store promises "NYC style, JCP prices," according to the New York Times, while another says competitors "must be shaking in their overpriced boots."

Penney's is moving into some legendary real estate, to boot: The space it has rented was once the home of Gimbel's, at one time the country's largest department store chain.