During its first 60 years, J.C. Penney did not sell large appliances or electronics. The company started to offer an expanded merchandise line at selected stores in 1960. In March 1963, they introduced the first Penncrest-brand refrigerators, ranges, washers, dryers, air-conditioners, black & white televisions, radios, tape recorders, stereos and portable phonographs. These were initially available for purchase at twelve J.C. Penney stores.

The Penncrest pledge appeared in selected newspapers across the nation in December 1963. Large Penncrest-brand appliances were being built by the Hotpoint-General Electric conglomerate, with televisions produced by either the Toshiba Corporation or Mitsubishi Electronics. Radios, tape recorders and phonographs came from the Symphonic Company.