Permanent closure of JCPenney at Eden Prairie Center confirmed

The permanent closure of JCPenney at Eden Prairie Center has been confirmed, after the store was temporarily closed in April due to a fire.

The department store shuttered on April 17 after a transformer fire resulted in water damage as it was extinguished. It will not reopen, with planning now under way to make use of the space.

"JCPenney has been a part of our center for many years but decided to permanently close this store," Eden Prairie Center Vice President and General Manager, Nancy Litwin, told Bring Me The News.

"We view this as an opportunity to enhance Eden Prairie Center’s offerings and better meet our customers’ needs."

While Litwin could not confirm any future plans for that storefront, the Eden Prairie Local News has shared that the city recently commissioned a study of vehicle traffic around the shopping center, which could lead towards a revamp of a portion of the mall, including the JCPenney space.

JCPenney was one of five anchor stores at the Eden Prairie Center, the other four of which – Von Maur, Target, Kohl's and Scheels – are still open.

Related: JCPenney to close four stores in Minnesota