The announcement that J.C. Penney Co. Inc. will close its store at Southridge Mall could be seen as a blow to that struggling facility, bad news for local retail and one more worrisome event in the seemingly endless slog back to a strong, growing economy. But we probably can limit the local gloom to Southridge.

The star-crossed mall at the intersection of Southeast 14th Street and Army Post Road has been suffering for years, and the loss of Penney’s could send it reeling. We’re hoping that mall owner Macerich Co. can quickly find a major retailer to fill the looming vacancy, but it’s a tough assignment.

Having fallen as far as it has, Southridge almost has to come up with something spectacular to get back in the game. The people living nearby on the South Side of Des Moines and in Carlisle or commuting past from Indianola just haven’t provided the customer base it needs.

Sociologists have pointed out that freeways are good for filling suburban neighborhoods – partly by draining urban ones. Likewise, building a big, glittering sphere of influence like the one centered on West Des Moines’ Jordan Creek Town Center tends to draw shoppers from miles away, right past ordinary places like Southridge.

We’re betting that a shutdown of one Penney’s store doesn’t indicate anything more than that about Central Iowa’s retail fortunes. We’re confident that retail is on an upward path.

It has been reported that U.S. consumers set an all-time monthly record by spending $380.9 billion on retail and food services in December. The 12-month retail sales total through December was $4.405 trillion, 6.6 percent ahead of the previous year’s total.

This sounds like an economy that is well on its way back. Whether you think Americans should spend more or save more, you knew in your heart that the Great Recession didn’t really change our habits forever.

We still love to shop.