Bookseller

About the Role

We are looking for friendly, dependable, book-loving people to help us open our new Skaneateles shop. Bookselling is a retail job first and also so much more: connecting readers with books they'll love, creating beautiful displays, supporting community events, and making the store a place people love to come back to.

The ideal candidate loves books and people, enjoys making thoughtful recommendations, communicates clearly, and is comfortable jumping between customer service, store upkeep, inventory tasks, and the everyday details that keep a small retail business running smoothly.

What You'll Do

• Welcome customers and create a friendly, helpful shopping experience
• Help customers choose books, stationery, gifts, and special orders based on their interests and needs
• Offer thoughtful book recommendations across age ranges, genres, and reading tastes
• Operate the point-of-sale system, process transactions, handle gift cards, and support basic customer orders
• Receive, shelve, restock, and organize inventory, including new arrivals and backlist titles
• Maintain attractive displays, tidy shelves, and a clean, organized store environment
• Answer customer questions in person, by phone, and by email with warmth and professionalism
• Assist with in-store events, book clubs, author visits, and occasional off-site or after-hours programming
• Contribute to the store's bookish culture through staff picks, shelf-talkers, reviews, or display ideas
• Stay curious about current and upcoming releases so you can make knowledgeable recommendations

What We're Looking For

• A genuine love of books, reading, and recommending books to people
• Warm, clear communication and strong customer service instincts
• Reliability, good judgment, and comfort working independently once trained
• Retail, bookstore, or library experience preferred
• An organized, detail-oriented approach to shelving, displays, inventory, and store upkeep
• Comfort using technology; experience with Square, bookstore inventory systems, or POS systems is a plus
• A broad reading life or curiosity across genres, age categories, and customer interests
• Weekend availability required; availability during peak summer tourism, holidays, and occasional events strongly preferred

Physical Requirements

• Ability to stand and move around the store for most of a shift
• Ability to lift, carry, unpack, and shelve boxes of books, typically up to 30-40 pounds
• Comfort using a step stool or ladder for shelving and displays

Benefits

• Competitive hourly wage: $18-20/hour, based on experience
• Flexible scheduling
• Employee discount on books, gifts, and store merchandise
• Occasional access to free books, as well as advanced reader copies of books and audiobooks
• Opportunities to attend author events and signings
• Input into buying, displays, and store programming
• Access to industry newsletters, catalogs, and bookseller communities
• A collaborative, book-loving team environment
• The opportunity to help shape a new independent bookstore location from the beginning

Pay: $18.00 - $20.00 per hour

Benefits:

• Employee discount
• Flexible schedule

Work Location: In person

Salary : $18 - $20