Hasta La Creative!

Grebstein now has to walk the tightrope of attracting new customers and not alienating those who still remain. A 53-year-old marketing veteran with three decades in the business under her belt, she’s worked in a variety of industries, including grocery (Food Lion) office supplies (Staples) and, most recently, home improvement (Lowe’s, where her 14-month stint as CMO came to a close as part of a round of layoffs early this year.) But Grebstein, whose parents were both in sales, said she’s found her fit with JC Penney. After recently shopping the stores near the brand’s Plano, Texas-based headquarters for bedding for her daughter’s college apartment, she noted that there’s huge potential.

Pulling out all the stops

The 1,000-unit chain has been trying to deliver on that opportunity through a host of recent initiatives designed to broaden its base. Last year, it returned to selling appliances for the first time in three decades and met with early success. More recent debuts include toy shops in stores, a b-to-b hospitality offering and the acceptance of Apple Pay within all locations. The brand is also chasing the menswear business with a new campaign from Michael Strahan.

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