109: JC Penney Loses *Almost* Everything (Finale, Rebroadcast)

109: JC Penney Loses *Almost* Everything (Finale, Rebroadcast)

From An Old Timey Podcast by An Old Timey Podcast

June 24, 2026 · 2h 1m · Episode 109

About this episode

This episode revisits the history of JCPenney and its founder James Cash Penney during the Great Depression.

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! The Great Depression hit James Cash Penney hard. It decimated his finances. It worried him. It humbled him. After some soul searching, he came to realize that he could make a comeback. JC Penney the man proved to himself, and the world, that he still had something to offer. But the story didn’t end quite as sweetly for JCPenney the store. 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, James Cash. Fifty Years with the Golden…

People in this episode

Host: Norm

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Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: JCPenney, patreon.com/oldtimeypodcast

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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