JCPenney's Michelle Wlazlo on optimizing footprint and investing in experience: 'We still believe stores matter'

Michelle Wlazlo spent nearly 22 years in merchandising at Gap, Old Navy, and Target before joining JCPenney in 2019, and she initially turned down the call. What changed her mind was walking the stores and experiencing the business firsthand. “I realized this was an opportunity to help write the next chapter of an iconic American retailer. That’s when I knew: ‘This is where I want to be,’” she told FashionUnited. Seven years on, and a year into her role as brand CEO under Catalyst Brands, that instinct still shapes how she thinks about retail today.