Founded in 1902 as a clothing store, J.C. Penney is one of the leading retail chains. It operates more than 1,000 department stores throughout the United States. The store provides a range of products, including apparel, shoes, home appliances, electronics, furniture and jewelry. It also provides skin care products and fragrances. In addition to products, the company offers packaging, customer service, inventory assistance, gift registries and online shopping. J.C. Penney Company is a holding company whose principal operating subsidiary is J.C. Penny Corporation. It has one of the largest apparel and home furnishing sites on the Internet..