Asheville Shop Manager

The Asheville Shop celebrates Western North Carolina’s creativity and artistry through locally made products. Located within the Asheville Visitor Center, the Shop is an extension of the Visitor Center, featuring products from over 100 Chamber member artists and businesses.

PRIMARY FUNCTION:

The Shop Manager is responsible for strategic and operational management of retail operations, including customer service, vendor relationships, visual merchandising, digital marketing, and sales growth.

JOB DESCRIPTION:

· Retail Operations: arrives at work by 8:30 am to open the Shop by 9:00 am and closes the Shop no earlier than 5:00 pm; manages open and close of cash register each day and accounting of all receipts and reconciliation with cash on hand; processes transactions using point-of-sale system; inputs new inventory items into point-of-sale system and assigns bar codes; maintains accurate sales records; produces weekly sales by hour staffing report; tracks inventory levels and conducts regular inventory counts; creates and maintains Standard Operating Procedures for all retail tasks; is familiar with General Ledger Account Codes for QuickBooks

· Visual Merchandising and In-Store Experience: creates a welcoming shopping experience; maintains clean, well-organized and fully stocked retail environment; creates compelling product displays including seasonal tables, themed collections, and gift bundles; designs and prepares rotating “meet the maker” displays to showcase local artisans, including story signage, tags, and QR codes to educate customers about products and artisans; coordinates live maker demonstrations and in-store events to drive customer engagement

· Customer Service: provides exceptional customer service by engaging visitors, offering assistance, providing helpful information about artists and products; exemplifies customer service standards for other Shop employees; consults and cooperates with the Visitor Center Manager and volunteers to develop ways to drive visitor foot traffic to the Shop;assists in promoting, making selections for and preparing gift baskets for individual or corporate orders

· Supervision of Shop Employees: schedules and supervises part-time retail associates and volunteers as needed; ensures they are trained to be knowledgeable about the vendors and artists and all products available for purchase; trains employees on cash register (open/close); customer service standards; conducts performance reviews and provides ongoing feedback to support professional development; delegates tasks effectively to ensure efficient Shop operations and coverage during peak times; fosters a positive, collaborative team environment that reflects the Chamber’s values and mission

· Merchandise and Vendor Management: curates product selection to prioritize locally made, authentic crafts that reflect Asheville’s creative culture and mountain heritage; ensures that all vendors are members of the Chamber; manages vendor relations including consignment agreements, onboarding, orders (including checking all orders received for accuracy), billing, and product evaluations; coordinates with the Senior Vice President if any exception is needed regarding membership; monitors sales records and prepares reports on vendors as needed; develops and maintains partnerships with local makers for exclusive products and limited-edition collaborations

· Digital Marketing and E-Commerce: manages Shopify e-commerce platform including product listings, descriptions, photography, inventory, and order fulfillment; coordinates with Chamber’s Content Specialist to maintain active social media presence (Instagram and Facebook) with regular posts featuring maker spotlights, new arrivals, staff picks, and seasonal content; works with Chamber’s Vice President of Communications to maintain an Asheville Shop landing page on the Chamber’s website featuring individual makers, pages with bio’s, featured products, and links

· Partnerships and Business Development: develops and implements promotional campaigns including coupons, discount partnerships, and bundled offers with local attractions and hotels; expands corporate gifting program for Chamber members beyond the holiday season; coordinates with local media and publications for make spotlights and Shop features (with guidance and direction from the Vice President of Communication)

· Analysis and Reporting: pulls sales reports to track and analyze sales metrics including daily sales, sales by hour staffing, average transaction value, top sellers, and seasonal trends; works with Communications staff to review website and social media analytics to measure marketing effectiveness; conducts quarterly vendor performance reviews to optimize product selection

· Miscellaneous Tasks: makes deposits as needed at the bank; shares task of checking Chamber post office box with Financial Assistant; orders supplies for the Shop; maintains respectful, courteous and supportive working relationship with Visitor Center Manager; other duties as assigned

JOB KNOWLEDGE:

Requires strong customer service skills, retail management expertise, and digital marketing proficiency. The Shop Manager should possess strong visual merchandising abilities, strategic thinking, and the capacity to manage multiple priorities in a dynamic retail environment. Knowledge of the Asheville arts community, local maker ecosystem, and Western North Carolina retail landscape is highly desirable.

EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING:

Prior work experience of 3 to 5 years in a retail management position, preferably in specialty retail or artisan markets, is required. Experience with e-commerce platforms (particularly Shopify), social media marketing, and digital content creation is strongly preferred. including experience with analyzing sales data and retail trends

EDUCATION OR EQUIVALENT:

An Associates or Bachelor’s Degree is preferred, or equivalent combination of education and related experience or training would be necessary to prepare for this position.

CONTACT WITH OTHERS:

Represents the Chamber professionally in interactions with others. Internal contacts include Chamber personnel, department directors and senior leadership. External contacts include local business, local artisans and makers, members of the Chamber, board members, volunteers and the public at large. All contacts require the utmost respect, courtesy and professional decorum. Maintaining regular communication with supervisor is required.

RESPONSIBILITY FOR ACCURACY:

High accuracy is required in inventory management, financial transactions, vendor billing, marketing content, and sales reporting.

MENTAL/PHYSICAL/VISUAL EFFORT:

The degree of concentration varies from routine customer interactions to intensive strategic planning and creative problem-solving. Position requires managing competing priorities and frequent interruptions in a customer-facing environment. While performing duties of this job, the incumbent is routinely required to stand, walk, sit, reach with hands and arms, talk and hear. Subject to occasional lifting and carrying supplies weighing up to 40 pounds. Requires visual acuity, manual dexterity and good eye/hand/foot coordination. Extended computer work for e-commerce, marketing, and reporting tasks is required.

RESOURCEFULNESS & INITIATIVE:

Position requires significant initiative and independent decision-making within established brand guidelines and budget parameters. Creativity is essential for merchandising, marketing campaigns, vendor relationships, and problem solving. The manager is expected to proactively identify opportunities for sales growth, operational improvements, and enhanced customer experiences.

ENVIRONMENT:

Work is performed in a publicly accessible environment with foot traffic periodically exceeding 1,000 visitors daily in the Visitor Center. This position works from 8:30 am until 5:00 pm, Tuesday through Saturday. Occasional evening or weekend hours may be required for special events or make demonstrations.

SPECIFIC COMPUTER SKILLS:

Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), Shopify, point-of-sale, and social media internet skills are required.

Pay: $22.00 - $24.00 per hour

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Employee discount
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Work Location: In person

Salary : $22 - $24