As you run around finishing your holiday shopping, perhaps you've thought of some stores where you can no longer buy gifts.

Names like Caldor, Bradlee's, Jamesway, Clover, and John Wanamaker probably come to mind.

But there are also big chains that are hanging on (some, barely) while maybe not having a store at your local mall anymore -- Sears certainly tops that list (only a handful remain across the country).

JCPenney, while still easy to find in New Jersey, has closed some stores across our area and that's where our travels take us today.

Long History

JCPenney enjoyed a 43-year history in Atlantic County spanned two big malls.

It was back in 1968 that Searstown, later becoming the Shore Mall and now Harbor Square, opened in Egg Harbor Township.

In 1976, JCPenney moved into that complex, remaining until 1987 when the store moved to the new Hamilton Mall in Mays Landing.

JCP did rather well at Hamilton Mall for quite a few years, however, the chain ran into some financial problems and when they announced a bunch of stores would be closing in 2019, their Mays Landing location was on the chopping block.

It closed for good that summer.

Other JCPenney stores that faded into history were smaller locations in Cape May County and at the Cumberland Mall in the Millville-Vineland area.

Not Empty For Long

Just before JCPenney at Hamilton Mall closed, Sears did as well, leaving two giant holes in that retail landscape. However, the JCP space didn't sit empty for long -- at least half of it.

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Shoppers World, a discount chain that primarily sold a lot of clothes, opened around Thanksgiving of 2019 on only the bottom floor of the old two-level JCPenney store. When they did, they installed rather flimsy temporary walls around the escalators to keep people from accessing the upper level.

Sadly, Shoppers World lasted about two years before disappearing as well.

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What it Looks Like Today

Interestingly enough, Shoppers World's use of only half of the old JCP store has led to much of that space being frozen in time.

As we'll see below, the upper floor is still all decked out with old JCPenney signs and the like.

But first, the usual disclaimer: this store is part of Hamilton Mall, which is still open for business. All of these pictures were taken outside looking in. Do not break in in an attempt to explore the space -- you will be arrested for trespassing.