Hm, had to look up our state because I’ve never seen one. We’ve got 22.
Looks to be in a number of smaller towns and on the edge of some mid size towns.
Nearest one is about 25 miles away.
They tend to operate in more out of the way areas, but are also represented in big cities in flyover country. The stores I’ve been to are about the size of a TJ Maxx, but their prices are higher than JC Penney’s. Downmarket discount store atmosphere along with department store prices. I understand the rural presence where they’re the only game in town, but the big city thing where they’re head-to-head with the department stores and discount stores and compete neither on price nor ambience? Still, while the writing was on the wall, what they did in terms of merely surviving was the equivalent of a 300lb guy competing in the 100m sprint.
They appear to have acquired the Goody’s brand in the SE, which used to be HQ’d in Knoxville. I had never heard of Stage Stores.