The store — which opened on November 1 in Hurst, Texas, just outside of Dallas — includes several new features informed directly by customer surveys and data collection conducted by JCPenney over the last year. On a call with investors on Friday, CEO Jill Soltau said the store is intended to function as a "lab" for the company, where it can test new business strategies and see what sticks.
However, JCPenney showed promise in its ability to cut back operating losses and ultimately boost its profit forecast. Though an operating deficit of $97 million is certainly not indicative of a thriving brand, it's a significant improvement over the $300 million loss the company reported in the same period last year
The store is noticeably different aesthetically from its traditional department store counterpart, with bright lighting, innovative architecture, and shiny displays.The product assortment is also carefully curated to better meet the demands of shoppers.