As hundreds of popular retail merchandisers announce their closures due to economic difficulties exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, JC Penney's has become the latest retail giant to fall victim to financial difficulties. 

According to CNN, the brand is permanently closing 154 of its stores across 20 states this summer as part of a bankruptcy plan.

The company, one of the most high-profile retailers to file for bankruptcy protection after being hit hard by the coronavirus, said it expects store closing sales to last around three months, and it will announce additional closures in the coming weeks.

JCPenney filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on May 15. The pandemic's hit on sales was the final blow to a 118-year-old company struggling to overcome a mountain of debt.

When the pandemic hit, JCPenney, like many other businesses, was forced to temporarily close stores. The company said that as of Thursday it had reopened nearly 500 stores as coronavirus restrictions began to ease in some states.

"While closing stores is always an extremely difficult decision, our store optimization strategy is vital to ensuring we emerge from both Chapter 11 and the COVID-19 pandemic as a stronger retailer with greater financial flexibility to allow us to continue serving our loyal customers for decades to come," said Jill Soltau, chief executive officer of JCPenney, in a statement. 

Three JC Penney's locations in Louisiana will shutter, including the store in Lafayette's Acadiana Mall, Metairie's Lakeside Shopping Center, and Shreveport's Regal Court Shopping Center.

At this time, the JC Penney's in Baton Rouge's Mall of Louisiana has not announced plans to close. 

The full list of 154 stores scheduled to close this summer are listed below: 

Alabama:

Covington Mall, in Andalusia

Regency Square, in Florence

Jackson Square, in Scottsboro

Spanish Fort Town Center, in Spanish Fort

Arizona:

Little Creek Center, in Cottonwood

Christown Spectrum, in Phoenix

El Con Shopping Center, in Tucson

Arkansas:

Independence Center, in Batesville

Conway Towne Center, in Conway

Mellor Park Mall, in El Dorado

The Fashion Center, in Harrison

California:

Rancho Del Chino Shopping Center, in Chino

The JCPenney at 1228 Main Street, in Delano

San Luis Plaza, in Los Banos

Woodland Plaza, in Paso Robles

Inland Center, in San Bernardino

West Valley Mall, in Tracy

Countryside Plaza, in Turlock

Yreka Junction Mall, in Yreka

Colorado:

Durango Mall, in Durango

The JCPenney at 135 Bockman Drive, in Fort Collins

Greeley Mall, in Greeley

River Landing Shopping Center, in Montrose

Connecticut:

Torrington Commons, in Torrington

Florida:

Desoto Square Mall, in Bradenton

Coralwood Shopping Center, in Cape Coral

Gulf Coast Town Center, in Fort Myers

Regency Square Mall, in Jacksonville

Eagle Ridge Mall, in Lake Wales

Santa Rosa Shopping Center, in Mary Esther

Orlando Fashion Square, in Orlando

Lakeshore Mall, in Sebring

Westshore Plaza, in Tampa

Georgia:

Georgia Square, in Athens

Northlake Mall, in Atlanta

Arbor Place Mall, in Douglasville

Lakeshore Mall, in Gainesville

Mount Berry Mall, in Rome

Statesboro Mall, in Statesboro

Hatcher Point Mall, in Waycross

Idaho:

Lewiston Shopping Center, in Lewiston

Bonner Mall, in Ponderay

Illinois:

Northfield Square, in Bourbonnais

River Oaks Shopping Center, in Calumet City

University Mall, in Carbondale

Freeport Mall, in Freeport

Times Square Mall, in Mt. Vernon

Indiana:

Bedford Town Fair, in Bedford

Concord Mall, in Elkhart

NW Pavilion @ Michigan Road, in Indianapolis

Kokomo Mall, in Kokomo

River Point Mall, in Madison

Muncie Mall, in Muncie

Pilgrim Place Mall, in Plymouth

Richmond Square, in Richmond

Vincennes Plaza, in Vincennes

Iowa:

The JCPenney at 504 N Adams Street, in Carroll

Marshalltown Mall, in Marshalltown

Kansas:

Flint Hills Village, in Emporia

Liberal Plaza, in Liberal

Central Mall, in Salina

Kentucky:

Green River Plaza, in Campbellsville

Danville Manor Shopping Center, in Danville

Bradford Square, in Hopkinsville

Market Square, in Maysville

Middlesboro Mall, in Middlesboro

Town Square Mall, in Owensboro

Louisiana:

Acadiana Mall, in Lafayette

Lakeside Shopping Center, in Metairie

Regal Court Shopping Center, in Shreveport

Maryland:

Boulevard @ Box Hill, in Abingdon

Woodmore Towne Center, in Lanham

Country Club Mall, in La Vale

Michigan:

Alpena Mall, in Alpena

Cadillac Shopping Center, in Cadillac

The JCPenney at 408 E Mitchell St, in Petoskey

Minnesota:

Riverdale Village, in Coon Rapids

Eden Prairie Center, in Eden Prairie

Grove Square Shopping Center, in Maple Grove

Kandi Mall, in Willmar

Mississippi:

Sawmill Square Mall, in Laurel

Starkville Crossing, in Starkville

Missouri:

Bolger Square, in Independence

Kirksville Shopping Center, in Kirksville

Montana:

Gallatin Valley Mall, in Bozeman

Nebraska:

Conestoga Mall, in Grand Island

New Hampshire:

West Street Shopping Center, in Keene

Mountain Valley Mall, in North Conway

Lilac Mall, in Rochester

Upper Valley Plaza, in West Lebanon

New Mexico:

White Sands Mall, in Alamogordo

New York:

Finger Lakes Mall, in Auburn

Batavia City Centre, in Batavia

Roseland Shopping Center, in Canandaigua

Sangertown Square Mall, in New Hartford

Oswego Plaza, in Oswego

Freedom Mall, in Rome

Destiny USA, in Syracuse

North Carolina:

Henderson Square, in Henderson

Biggs Park Shopping Center, in Lumberton

Twin Rivers Mall, in New Bern

North Hills Shopping Center, in Raleigh

Richmond Plaza, in Rockingham

Ohio:

Chapel Hill Mall, in Akron

Tri County Plaza, in Akron

Carnation Mall, in Alliance

Ashtabula Mall, in Ashtabula

Governors Plaza, in Cincinnati

Northtowne Mall, in Defiance

Summit Square Shopping Center, in East Liverpool

The Shoppes At Parma, in Parma

Miami Valley Mall, in Piqua

Oklahoma:

Oakwood Mall, in Enid

Tandy Town Shopping Center, in McAlester

Town Center Plaza, in Midwest City

Arrowhead Mall, in Muskogee

Shawnee Mall, in Shawnee

Tulsa Promenade, in Tulsa

Oregon:

Cascade Village, in Bend

McMinnville Plaza, in McMinnville

Garden Valley Mall, in Roseburg

Salem Center, in Salem

Pennsylvania:

Clearview Mall, in Butler

North Hanover Mall, in Hanover

Beaver Valley Mall, in Monaca

Monroeville Mall, in Monroeville

Galleria @ Pittsburgh Mills, in Tarentum

South Carolina:

Anderson Mall, in Anderson

Cross Creek Mall, in Beaufort

Magnolia Mall, in Florence

Myrtle Beach Mall, in Myrtle Beach

Prince of Orange Mall, in Orangeburg

Rock Hill Galleria, in Rock Hill

South Dakota:

University Mall, in Brookings

Tennessee:

Bradley Square, in Cleveland

Columbia Mall, in Columbia

Dyersburg Mall, in Dyersburg

Kingsport Town Center, in Kingsport

Foothills Mall, in Maryville

Three Star Mall, in McMinnville

Texas:

Timber Creek Crossing, in Dallas

Crossroads Mall, in Greenville

West Hills Mall, in Huntsville

Music City Mall, in Lewisville

Lufkin Shopping Center, in Lufkin

Palestine Mall, in Palestine

Mirabeau Square, in Paris

Utah:

Layton Hills Mall, in Layton

Cache Valley Mall, in Logan

Vermont:

Bennington Square, in Bennington

Berlin Mall, in Berlin

Virginia:

Danville Mall, in Danville

Colonial Mall, in Staunton

Wisconsin:

Crossroads Shopping Center, in Menomonee Falls