J.C. Penney stores in Tifton and Thomasville are among 138 scheduled for closure by the national retail chain.

The longtime mall staple released a list Friday of 138 upcoming store closures, a move that will impact about 5,000 employees across the country.

Company representatives announced the planned closure in February, citing a too-large footprint in a market being squeezed by online and niche retailers.

The closures include eight stores each in Texas and Minnesota and seven stores a piece in Pennsylvania, Illinois and Michigan.

Stores affected in Georgia include those in Gateway Plaza in Thomasville and the Tifton Mall, as well as locations in Milledgeville, Macon and Dublin.

Most stores will begin liquidating in April and close in June.

Many of the closures are in communities that have a long history with the stores. Some locations, like Ottumwa, Iowa, a former mining town of nearly 25,000 people, have had a J.C. Penney for more than 100 years.

J.C. Penney is far from the only department store icon to announce closures as more people opt for fast fashion retailers or cyber shopping over mall walking.

Macy’s and Sears — both competitors of J.C. Penney — also announced significant closures within the last 18 months.

“Many of these stores have struggled with their financial performance for years and we have kept them open to maintain local jobs and in the hopes that they would turn around.” said Howard Riefs, director of corporate communications for Sears Holdings, of  closing Sears and Kmart locations.