A well-known department store chain is soon to be no more in Austintown.

21 News has confirmed that JCPenney in the Austintown Plaza will be closing its doors in September due to its lease expiring in September and the store deciding not to renew it.

Dion Akins, Director of Commercial Real Estate for Washco Management, the company who owns the building tells 21 News that they don't have a new tenant finalized yet, but do have a few leads and are actively working to bring a new tenant in.

Austintown Trustee, Robert Santos tells 21 News that he is willing to do anything he can to keep the business alive.

"If there's anything we can do to assist the business in staying, we will," Santos said.

Trustee, Monica Deavers tells us she doubts JCPenney will stay in the plaza due to the company previously filing for bankruptcy and closing stores across the country. 

But Deavers does say that she would absolutely be on board with working with trustees and plaza and building owners to keep business afloat buy making an effort to attract new tenants.

"I would not want to see an empty plaza ever. We'll do whatever we can to get something else in that building," Deavers said.

JCPenney had previously closed another Valley location in East Liverpool following the COVID-19 pandemic.