WYSOX TOWNSHIP -- Two national retailers are closing stores in Bradford Towne Centre near Towanda, hitting that community particularly hard.
Bradford Towne Centre is the major retail location serving the rural county. Now comes news JCPenney is leaving the shopping center.
"It kind of sucks. That's where I go shopping for the kids' clothes and they have good sales,” said Brittany Bartholomew of Monroeton.
The national retailer is closing nearly 140 stores in an effort to be more competitive with online retailers.
“JCPenney is like one of the only big clothing stores, like it's going to be different without it here,” said Rebecca Lunn of Wysox Township.
Nearby Payless ShoeSource, just steps from the JCPenney location, will be closing its location in the Towne Centre, too, in the wake of the company's bankruptcy filing.
Folks say that's a hard hit for their community.
Many say they'll have to drive to Vestal, New York--which is about an hour away--to shop.
"I feel like business around here wouldn't really be as good," said Kailyn Lunn of Wysox Township.
"I think more people should be shopping in our area, you know what I mean? Maybe they wouldn't close,” said Cheryl Swain.
The JCPenney store will close by June, according to company officials.
Payless ShoeSource officials did not give an exact date of closure.