108: JC Penney Becomes Rich *and* Cool (Part 3, Rebroadcast)

108: JC Penney Becomes Rich *and* Cool (Part 3, Rebroadcast)

From An Old Timey Podcast by An Old Timey Podcast

June 17, 2026 · 1h 47m · Episode 108

About this episode

This episode features a rebroadcast of the series on the history of JCPenney, focusing on James Cash Penney's journey and lessons learned in life and business.

Howdy, History Hoes! This month, we’re getting some rest and relaxation. We’ll be back in July to bring you some piping hot stories from history. But for now, we thought you might enjoy a replay of our series on the history JCPenney – the greatest department store in the world. And if you miss us, you can get new content on patreon.com/oldtimeypodcast . For just $5, you can binge our catalog of monthly bonus episodes and chitty chat the day away in our Discord! James Cash Penney had an ambitious dream. He wanted to own 50 Golden Rule stores. Over the course of just a few years, he achieved that dream and then some. But tough lessons in his personal life taught him that financial success wasn’t everything. So, he pulled back. He reevaluated his life. He travelled. He sought counsel from his pastor. He even bought a ticket on the Titanic! Remember, kids, history hoes always cite their sources! For this episode, Norm pulled from: Currey, Mary Elizabeth. Creating an American Institution: The Merchandising Genius of J.C. Penney . Dissertations-G, 1993. Kruger, David Delbert. J.C. Penney: The Man, the Store, and American Agriculture . Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 2017. Penney…

People in this episode

Host: Norm

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Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: JCPenney

Books & works: Creating an American Institution: The Merchandising Genius of J.C. Penney, J.C. Penney: The Man, the Store, and American Agriculture, Fifty Years with the Golden Rule

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