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KEMMERER, Wyo. — One of the best-known companies in American retailing is fighting for survival. No place is watching the drama with more concern than the town of Kemmerer, Wyo.
As a young man, James Cash Penney started the JC Penney empire in that coal-mining boom town.
"When he started, he had a little cart and he would just put stuff in and go around town and sell stuff," said Judy Borino of the JC Penney Home Museum.
When he finally launched the first store in 1902, J.C. Penney didn't have to walk far to work. His home a block away is now a museum.
"He was a wonderful guy," Borino said. "He had a wonderful sense of humor."
Borino met him when she was young, in the 1960s. Her grandfather long ago passed up a chance to go into business with Penney. As time played out, he must have been very disappointed that he didn't take the opportunity, Borino said.
"I was disappointed," she laughed. "I could be living in New York, very well-to-do."
Now, visitors come from all over to appreciate the humble beginnings of a great American success story.
"We shopped there all of our lives," said Lonnie Harper of Cheyenne, Wyo. "We just decided we would take a side trip to Kemmerer and see where the original store was."
Barbara Harper added, "We like their products, their line of clothing and everything."
In a sense, Penney was the founder of two retailing empires. Back in the old days, one of his employees was Sam Walton, the founder of Walmart.
Financial circles are now buzzing with news of JC Penney's recent public apology.
"It's not a secret. Recently JC Penney changed. Some changes you liked. And some you didn't. But what matters with mistakes is what we learn," a company advertisement said.
With dwindling market share in 2011, the company ousted its CEO and made lots of changes.
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"When they changed a while back, they said they weren't going to have any more specials and weren't sending out any coupons. I think that really hurt them," Barbara Harper said.
Now, the company has fired the new CEO and brought the old one back. He's promising to fix what went wrong.
There have been some hopeful signs, but the company lost more than $300 million the first three months of this year. The CEO said it will take time for James Cash Penney's empire to climb out of the abyss it's fallen into.
