Bad Links?
Other glitches?
Notify Webmaster

Locals ready for store opening

By BEN NELMS
bnelms@TheCitizen.com

“It’s All Inside.” That was the mantra and the message Friday morning at the Grand Opening of the new JCPenney store at Banks Crossing Shopping Center in Fayetteville. The 8 a.m. ribbon cutting was attended by store staff and management, Fayetteville elected officials and a foyer full of customers ready to shop.

Located at 270 Banks Road, the store covers 98,840 square feet and is designed in the company's latest format to make shopping even more convenient and enjoyable for customers, said Store Manager Charles Fuller. The retailer is determined to bring variety, savings and shopping convenience to the Fayetteville area, he said.

“The goal for this store is to provide exemplary customer service and a level of performance that the customer is expecting. We want to provide a product that the customer is looking for,” Fuller said. “We’re wanting to fill a void that’s been in this market by having a midtown retailer with a quality product.”

Fuller said the new store offers shoppers a fresh, fun and more convenient way to experience great brands and smart prices.

“People should shop here because of the customer service they will get and the merchandise they will see in our store. It will sell itself to the customer. We’ve got the merchandise at a value the customer is expecting,” he said. “With the store's updated design, great merchandise assortment, services and our remarkable team of associates, we will be able to provide an outstanding and even more convenient shopping experience for our customers. We're inviting everyone to come and celebrate with us."

Fuller said he expects the store to draw its customer base from beyond the borders of Fayette County. That base, he said, also includes Coweta, South Fulton and Clayton counties. To Fuller, the reason is simple.

“We will be a destination for people wanting to get a quality product at a value and have ease of shopping, not having to do the mall scene or the bigger centers,” he said. “They are willing to travel to get here because they of the value we provide.”

Providing shoppers a new venue and variety, said Fuller, is not the only mark the store is making.

“We hired 165 associates and we will probably average between 165-185 throughout the year,” Fuller said. “Ninety-five percent of those associates are new to the Penney Company.”

Throughout grand opening week, Fuller said customers can register to win great prizes, including a Chrysler 300C automobile, a 40-inch HDLCD television, and a laptop computer package. In addition, 20 shoppers will win $250 gift cards to be used toward any JCPenney purchase. Other activities include product demonstrations and special discounts for the entire family.

Along with JCPenney's offering of style and quality at smart prices, customers will experience wider aisles for shopping carts, improved lighting and expedient customer service centers, Fuller said. The new store layout helps shoppers easily locate major brands such as Arizona Jean Co., Chris Madden for JCPenney Home Collection, nicole by Nicole Miller, SouthPole, Worthington, Stafford, W, Bisou-Bisou, Oshkosh, Nike, St. John's Bay and more. The store also features a portrait studio and full-service salon that offers professional hair styling services, facials, pedicures, manicures, waxing and products from leading brands, such as Redken, Matrix, BioSilk, and Sebastian. In addition, customers can place orders or pick up catalog and Internet purchases at the store's catalog desk.

JCPenney at Banks Crossing will operate Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.