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.

“The associates’ passion really stood out. You don’t see that kind of tenure and loyalty everywhere. Many of the people I met had spent decades with the company because they truly cared about serving customers and believed in what JCPenney represents,” Wlazlo said. “Not a day goes by that I don’t meet someone eager to share their JCPenney story with me.”

Since joining the company, Wlazlo’s priority has been the customer and making the brand stronger every day, she said. Her mission doesn’t live only through her words, but also through her wardrobe. The CEO became known for often wearing head-to-toe JCPenney looks, as well as surprising shoppers with gift cards.

“It’s very intentional because I genuinely believe in our products. I wear JCPenney because I’m proud of what our teams create, and I love it when someone compliments an outfit and I can say, ‘Yes, it’s JCPenney.’ Those moments reinforce what we’re trying to show customers — that they can find great style here,” she said.

‘Yes, JCPenney’

Part of that idea is reflected in the retailer’s 2025 “Yes, JCPenney” campaign, which aimed to transform public perception of the brand from "cheap" to a destination for high-end style. “In stores, we’re refreshing assortments, expanding services like beauty and salon, and making loyalty even more rewarding. Ultimately, it’s about giving customers more reasons to visit us more often and showing them how they don’t have to make any tradeoffs between style, quality, size, or value,” she said.

The campaign arrived at a time when JCPenney, along with other prominent retailers in the US, has been re-evaluating its store presence. Wlazlo said she manages JCPenney’s footprint based on market conditions, lease terms, and where it can best serve its customers, but reinforced that individual store decisions don’t change the company’s broader commitment to physical retail.

“The truth is, we still believe stores matter. They’re not going anywhere. What’s changing is that we’re being smarter about where we put them and how we maximize our footprint. That’s what a healthy, growing portfolio does,” she said, adding that “optimizing our footprint allows us to keep investing in the experiences and innovations that matter most to our customers.”

Brand experience

Since Wlazlo’s appointment as JCPenney’s CEO, the retailer has seen a continued investment in brand experience activations to “remind customers what JCPenney stands for,” she said. In March, JCPenney hosted its "The Other Paris Runway" fashion show in Paris, Texas, providing an accessible and inclusive counterpoint to traditional high-end fashion weeks. In August, the brand invited off-price customers who have regretted a retail purchase to stop by any JCPenney store nationwide and trade their item in for 15 dollars off a 50 dollars purchase.

At JCPenney, Wlazlo also led the launches of the Mutual Weave, Linden Street, and Thereabouts brands, plus relaunches of A.n.a, Cooks, and Liz Claiborne. “It’s been very rewarding to see the positive customer response when we clarified the role of our private brands,” she said, adding that private brands now represent roughly half of JCPenney’s business.

In January 2025, JCPenney and SPARC Group combined to form a new organization, Catalyst Brands, also operating Aéropostale, Lucky Brand, Nautica, and Brooks Brothers. The merger gave JCPenney additional scale and capabilities, Wlazlo said. In June, JCPenney introduced a shared Rewards Access loyalty program with Aeropostale.

“We operate as a network where each brand maintains its unique customer promise while sharing insights, sourcing, supply chain expertise, and best practices. That allows us to move faster and create more value for customers.”

30 years of experience

Wlazlo has more than 30 years of merchandising and store experience from a variety of retailers. She began her career at Saks Fifth Avenue in Minneapolis before assuming roles as store manager and buyer at Bebe Stores, Inc. Then, Wlazlo spent 19 years at GAP, Inc., in a variety of roles for Gap, Gap Outlet, and Old Navy. Before JCPenney, she served as senior vice president, merchandising over apparel and accessories, baby gear, and essentials at Target Corporation.

“My experience taught me that merchandising is both listening and anticipating: understanding where the customer is today while staying ahead of where they’re going next. That’s something I rely on every day,” she said. “Whether I was at Gap, Old Navy, Target, or now JCPenney, the fundamentals don’t change.”

Her plan for JCPenney is to continue “to strengthen our private brands alongside trusted national brands, expanding the benefits of being part of the Catalyst Brands portfolio, and making it even easier to shop with us whether they’re visiting our stores or shopping online.”

“Our goal is simple: to be the place where families never have to compromise on style, quality, size, or value — and I think we’re just getting started,” Wlazlo said.