Mt. Pleasant Daily Times, Mt. Pleasant, Texas
Tuesday, May 21, 1929
J. C. PENNEY COMING HERE
WILL OCCUPY LIDE'S STORE WHICH WILL BE ENLARGED SOON
Announcement was made today that the J. C. Penney Company, the largest retail dry goods establishment in the United States, will open a store in Mt. Pleasant on August first.
This company has secured a fifteen-year lease on the store occupied by Lide's Cash Store, which will be remodeled and enlarged to conform to plans of the company. When completed, the building will be 46x120 feet, and in addition will have a balcony 40x46 at the rear. In order to get this space, the present building will have to be extended about 30 feet, and the floor at the back will be lowered to the same level as the present front. The company brings its own fixtures for the store.
This marks the passing of another of the older business concerns of Mt. Pleasant, as Lide's store was established thirty-six years ago by C. O. Lide, and remained under his management until a few years ago, when the active management was taken over by D. D. and C. I. Lide, neither of whom have announced their future plans.
The J. C. Penney Company now has in operation over eleven hundred stores in this country, and expects to put into operation five hundred more during this year. The Mt Pleasant store will be one of the largest mercantile establishments in this section of the State.
Mt. Pleasant Daily Times, Mt. Pleasant, Texas
Thursday, September 26, 1929
MANY ATTEND PENNEY OPENING
NEW STORE IS CROWDED WITH VISITORS TO INSPECT STOCK WEDNESDAY NIGHT
The informal opening of the new J. C. Penney store held Wednesday night from 7 to 10 for the inspection of the stock drew a large crowd, not only from Mt. Pleasant and Titus County, bat many people from other towns were present.
No elaborate preparations were made for the occasion, but punch was served to the visitors throughout the evening, and music was furnished. No goods were offered for sale on this occasion, the opening being merely for the purpose of displaying the stock and making the people acquainted with the store.
Aside from the manager, P.J. Stephens, who came here from McKinney, and who will make his home here in the future, and the assistant manager, C. M. White, only local people employed in the sales departments of this new enterprise, and the management assures Mt. Pleasant people that it will take its place with the other business concerns of this city in working for the civic interests of Titus County. Unlike many other chain enterprises, the Penney Company allows each store to regulate its own policy in this line of work, and align itself with the other organizations that go to build up a city, and Mr. Stephens expects to take an active part in our community.
Mt. Pleasant Daily Times, Mt. Pleasant, Texas
Wednesday, May 18, 1938
Improvement Work on Store Buildings Aid To Appearance
Two Concerns Make Fronts Look Better
Considerable improvement is being made in the appearance of the J. C. Penney store, where a part of the front has been torn out to be replaced by a more modern and attractive design.
We understand there will be quite a bit of change in the entire front of the building, according to present plans.
The G. R. Pope store on East Third Street has also been repainted and the interior changed until it is now much more attractive than ever before.
L. D. Lowry of Mt. Vernon has taken a part of this building as a display room for Servel Electrolux, and he will be distributor in Titus and Franklin Counties for this popular line of refrigerators, which can be operated in rural homes with the same efficiency as those using city utilities.
