WATERVILLE — JCPenney plans to close its store at Elm Plaza this fall after 40 years, but the news is not all bad: A Renys store is scheduled to open there next spring. R.H.
Reny Inc. owner John Reny confirmed Monday his company plans to open a store at 60 Elm Plaza, probably in April 2025. He said people have often told him over the years they hope a Renys will open in Waterville because there is nothing like it in the area.
“We’re just happy to be coming to another great town, Waterville, and we’re happy the people want us to be there,” Reny said Monday. “That’s a nice thing to know.” Renys, which has been in business for 76 years and bills itself as “A Maine Adventure,” is a department store that carries a variety of merchandise, including Maine-themed gifts, clothing, footwear, housewares, food, cleaning products and summer furniture.
The company now has 18 locations in the state. The Waterville store will be its 19th, with the most recent store having opened in Bangor. “We’ve got some happy people in Bangor,” Reny said.
“It’s going very, very well — better than we thought.” The Waterville store is expected to be about 30,000 square feet and employ between 25 and 40 people, mostly full time, according to Reny. “That’s what we usually hire for a new store,” he said.
Meanwhile, JCPenney hung large banners late last week on the front of its Elm Plaza store that read “CLOSING.” Over the weekend, the store was advertising items at 20.
