Kemmerer City Administrator Brian Muir says he is hoping to help find a potential buyer who will seek to keep the JCPenney name alive in the community where the retail store was founded and its first store built.

The retail chain filed for bankruptcy back in May and Muir wanted to correct some information reported that only leased stores were going to go up for auction. Those places owned by the company are for sale.

“So technically the (Kemmerer) store is for sale,” Muir said. “Including the museum which would come along with it. JCPenney owns both the store and the JCPenney home and museum and the lot that its on.”

He says the City Council has met on this topic and acknowledged it really doesn’t have the resources to purchase it. He says leadership, however, does want to do everything it can to keep JCPenney a name in the city.

“The intellectual property there is really important to the branding of our community,” Muir said.

As of right now he did not give any specifics as to who may be interested, but says the city will remain dedicated to try and find a buyer who will maintain the legacy of the store as much as possible.