Nike Shops To Open In JC Penney Stores

(RTTNews) - Department stores chain J. C. Penney Company Inc. (JCP) announced that it has entered into a partnership with Nike to host the sports apparel retailer's stores within its outlets.

"Nike is immensely popular across all categories and with the rapid rise of activewear and athletic shoes, we want to have the best expression of Nike in any department store," said John Tighe, chief merchant for JCPenney.

JCPenney will provide a dedicated 500 sq. ft. of space to the activewear giant in a prominent location within the men's department, the company said.

Like all other major apparel retailer, JCPenney is struggling to find new avenues to boost slowing sales. The company's comparable store sales for holiday season dropped 0.8 percent.

Recently Allen Questrom, the former CEO of JCPenney had said that sales have become a cancer for department stores that are increasingly out of touch with millennial customers and Generation Y shoppers.

Shoppers now prefer to shop online for apparels and accessories rather than visit a brick-and-mortar store. According to Deloitte's research, 50 percent of holiday season shoppers prefer to shop online for gifts.